O, Joyce, the memories you bring back!
All my years in high school--it felt like fifteen, at least--everyone had to use the three outhouses up on the hill behind the school building. What I miss most about those days was on Halloween night when I and my fellow rascals would push one over, then run like the wind not to get caught.

I'm so glad you preserved the memory for so many of us. And our offspring that shake their heads in disbelief! The good ol' days?
Never again, I hope.

Richard

Oh my gosh! I remember well, snakes were alway waiting in perdition in the outhouse or on the path to it. I was running to the outhouse once as a child and run upon a big snake laying across my path. I had to jump over it to keep from stepping on it.
Thanks for the reminder.
Judy Meeker

Another reminder of my past. How thankful I am that it is not a reminder of my present. My parents had a bathroom put in our home while I was serving in Vietnam (1965-66). On the day I returned home to West Virginia, I felt the need to visit the toilet, so I went out the kitchen door in order to walk the beaten path toward the outhouse for relief. Suddenly, I stopped dead in my tracks, remebering that Mother and Daddy had a new bathroom installed while I was away. When I turned around and headed toward the house, there they were, standing in the kitchen door, laughing. You know, I can still see them standing there today.

I've sat my tushie on many of those in Girl Scout camp. However growing up in Florida the bugs are bigger than house trailers, and they LOVE to live in the warm corners of a snug outhouse. It used to scare the beejeebers out of me to go down the path to the outhouse at night. I'd always take a buddy and a big flashlight, and we'd both inspect for 18 leg visitors! Tee hee! This is such a fun write and interesting write, a journey back in time. Blessings to you my friend...Michelle

Oh yes, the outhouse.. I remember it well. Brought back a lot of memories for me, we had one too. I can still see the look of shock on my "city folk" cousins when they were told to go outback! LOL. Very well written, enjoyed tremendously. Hugs and God Bless.
Laura

I've been wanting to read this, so just tracked it down. Oh, the memories for me! Ours was hidden behind the house, and was our only facility until I was in ninth grade, not counting the infamous "bucket" that graced our bedroom every night. Pity the unlucky child whose turn it was to empty it -- a hated task.
Mom scrubbed our outhouse with lye, but the spiders and mice still loved it there. We used to put pieces of bread at the mousehole for them.

Enjoyed this a lot,
Connie

I couldn't agree more, Joyce. I never knew the outhouse days--and I'm glad I didn't--LOL!

Wendi

yes thank God for inside plumbing Joyce, quite a piece of flash back poetry

a version of outback mountain ;)

well penned ...

i prefer the modern convenience of indoor plumbing, but i've visited many of these in back woods and remote places, nice description...could almost smell the ammonia

Joyce I remember the first time I heard someone say that there were poo poo monsters hiding down in that mess.

"You always have to raise the seat and spit twice on the last poop." this person told me. "The monster hates spit and crawls away.You'll be safe but you can't take too long."

Well of course I was impressionable, and for years I spit anytime I had to use one of those things. Great write.

Light and Wisdom ...
Richard Lloyd Cederberg

Oh how well I do remember those .... yes and fun it was to through stones or even tickle someone with a stick through the holes in the walls to make them jump thinking it was a snake or spider...and always a magazine next to you to read or Use if you run out of toilet paper.....Yes Thank goodness for flush toilets indeed!!

I remember the bin truck at four in the mornings replacing it with clean ones...and even those with just a 6-8 ft hole in the ground...just filling up till full the the next one got build!!

Those were the days...but with good memories I think!!

Love Tinka

The mind boggles..

Now you did take me back...to summer camp and latrines...board and batten...and onw humongous snake that just about made me swear them off..but desperation persisted. Charning piece of nostalgia Joyce.
xo taylor

We too had an outhouse when I was growing up...but we also had indoor plumbing...
but mom locked us out and told us to use the outhouse!
Spiders webs and all, sometimes hornets and mice...ugh...
I'm one for the bushes instead...HA!
Love and Peace~
Kimmy~

Amen to inside plumbing, My grandparents used one out back for years while I was growing up... BRRRRRRRRRRRRR the memories you brought late night and early mornings......:) Wonderful real poetry.

Light & Peace,
Joselyn

My, this is wonderful writing, Joyce!
Oh I agree, "Thank goodness for inside plumbing"!
You brought a smile to my face with this piece;)
Splendid poetry and expressions!

Thank you,
Love, Sheila
Thank you Joyce, for your kind comment!

Old days, old ways, old memories. You wrote well in this poem, even with taste considering the subject. Victor

'Refreshing' look at the outhouses of, thank goodness, yesteryear. Fun read.
Rusty

This is an excellently thought out and well put together poem & more humorous than I would have imagined...glad I lived in town with real bathrooms and such...I even now hate using those porta-potti's people rent for parties and such...but if ya gotta, ya gotta...ed

Oh Joyce, with this wonderful poem you brought back memories from when I was a child. We would visit my grandparents 'out in the country' where they had an outhouse, too. It's just as you described it! Thank you for the trek back in time, sweet friend.
Love,
CJ