Can you remember the sights, sounds, and yes even tastes of your childhood. I can, because there is a spot that has not changed. A place I go to daily when I am in the Pines. That place is Docspond.

Yes, good and bad had happened there. Kids of the next generation are still whittling away at the bricks that remain of the pump house. But the feel of the place is still serene. Sit long enough you will see those walking there dog. One of which is a man who can love again after the death of his wife. The other after loosing faith that love could last, found it once more in him. Well the dog just cares if he gets to sniff around and find some squirrels.

Two young girls who just moved into the house of the guy who broke my arm in seventh grade get to hang out and joke with some guys they met in school. One a bit of trickster, but harmless. One kid comes and cleans the glass out of the water in front of the pump house where others showed their little self respect for themselves. Cleaning up the place even after two of them are throwing rocks at his feet. But the fourth one starts to help him.

A place where a Jersey tree Frog sits and watches me excavate the water wheel and tunnel that feed the bath. A little frog who is half the color of the cedar brown water and bright green like the his tropical cousin. I think of him as the Forman who makes sure my deeds do not destroy the delicate balance of the pond. When he is on a Union break, the large wolf spider sits quietly and watches.

If you are peaceful enough, one of the two Northern water Snakes might come for a visit. I first met the larger one, Bull Nose, when we both were little. I just missed stepping on his head as I walked over him on the trail to the next pond, Boy Scout. I guess he could say the same thing but he just missed biting my heal. In the field the Doctor might of been living out the animosity found in the garden of Eden. But at the pond Snake and man can live together. In fact the little one, Brownie, she is even playful enough to skirt right up against your leg when you are digging in the water. Once I was letting air out of an inflatable raft, and she thought the hiss was a mating call and swam right over.

One day I was sitting on the white sand beach, made of quartz and silicone, and I was amazed at the sight I had seen. Four squirrels playing Crouching Tiger, Flying squirrel through the trees. Four squirrels chasing and fighting up to the top of a tree would all fall from the zenith, still scratching, without fear drop ten feet and catch another branch like nothing. Up and down they went, never fearing they would miss a branch and fall to their death. Just complete faith that something will catch them. Now how many of us have that faith and stay in that job we hate...

A chipmunk had played hard to get too well and regretted it. See they ran inches behind me and scurried through the trees with the female in the lead. She came back five minutes later to me on the bridge, stopped looked at me as to say "Did you see him?" and she proceeded to run away back to find him. Be careful of what you wish you might get it.

Then we have my best friend's step father, he comes here with his mistress and her dog. He was sheepish at first when he seen me, but now he is a bit comfortable. The whole family knows about them, but the mother is in denial. He used to beat my friend with a bat until he smiled back at him when it broke over his shoulder. Now he knows better than to mess with a three hundred pound Indian named Little Bear. In fact Little Bear has a lot of Bull in his family. That is in Sitting Bull, who was his Great Grandfather. But there is little calling for Shamans nowadays and he spends most of his time demolishing things. We have had many great times at this pond.

Two summers ago, I met a pair of High School students that reminded me of us when we were at that dreadful institution. Me with my Jesus looks and his Buddha belly was a great pair. In fact one of the guys ended up being my brothers new room mates girlfriend on his journey back from globe trotting. One light and one a bit darker. The landscaper and the artist.

So the circle continues. Six degrees of separation. From the twins who moved into the guys house who broke my arm that remind me of the twins I had dated from there home town when I was that young. Two couples looking for love, one moving forward the other with both feet on the ground, the other with one foot in the water. Where my Buddha friend tried to gain illumination, the place his stepfather hides from light of the day. Animals I have learned from. The faith of Squirels that something will always catch them.

Especially the dog, for what maters the most is the sights, sounds, smells, and yes even the taste of that fresh spring water of childhood at Docspond. For good or bad, those who come here are once again children.