Those who "stole dates" in childhood

When people reach middle age, they often indulge in nostalgia. Recalling the past of childhood is indeed a very meaningful thing for those of us who are nearly 50 years old. I have nothing to do recently, looking for the depths of my memory and thinking of those days when I stole dates in my childhood.

For children in our countryside, childhood life is colorful. When I first started to remember, my family life was still relatively tight, and the problem of food and clothing had not been completely solved. Therefore, in the wild, we try our best to pick all the edible things and stuff them into our mouths, and there are many stories about "stealing melons and dates".

At that time, there was a saying that "stealing dates is not stealing", which means that it is excusable for children to do something "stealing dates" and will never rise to the height of moral quality. Therefore, it is very common for farmers who grow melons and fruits to be stolen by children if supervision is not strengthened in the mature season of melons and fruits.

I have a clear memory of stealing vegetables in the field when I was a child. Every summer, after school at three or four o'clock in the afternoon, it is time for us to pull out pig grass. Children in twos and threes came to the field with baskets. After a field trip, we randomly pulled out some weeds and prepared to take them home. The sun is about to set, except for playing wildly, we just fill our stomachs. All crops and crops that can be eaten raw have been attacked by us: pulling radishes, stealing watermelons, stealing red dates, stealing apples and so on. And often pile up hay, burn fresh corn, burn beans and so on. We often snatch food from the fire. After dinner, everyone's face was covered with dust.

In summer and autumn, stealing melons is common. When a family grows a watermelon or other melons in the field, it must be carefully watched whenever it matures, otherwise it will be swept away by us in a few days. When stealing melons, it is usually when the sun is poisonous at noon or when it is dark at night, which is generally the most relaxing time for melon watchers. We often partner with several people to commit crimes. Some people keep watch, some people are responsible for distracting melon watchers, and some people are responsible for stealing melons. The brave children acted alone and enjoyed their stolen melons. I was timid when I was a child. I almost never act alone. I only take care of other children and share the stolen fruits of victory with them.

Sometimes at noon in summer, we will sneak into the orchard to steal apples and red dates. Stealing apples and dates is more troublesome. It is difficult to avoid the sight of the orchard keeper, drill into the dense thorn fence hole, climb the apple and jujube trees, pick the fruits on the ground, and sometimes beware of the dogs in the orchard. Especially in dog prevention, we all have rich experience. Every time we steal fruit, don't panic when dogs bark. We must be calm. First, throw the dog food prepared in advance to it, and then scare it away with a dog stick. Don't panic when a dog catches up. Squat down immediately and pretend to pick up bricks, and the dog will stop immediately.

Every time we go out to steal melons and fruits, we often wrap our bags in jackets and move to a safe place for a full meal. But accidents often happen. I remember when I was in the third grade of primary school, my teacher found me playing truant and stealing melons and fruits at noon, and I was punished. Besides being beaten by the board, I was also ordered to lie on the hot cement table tennis table and fish. It's like the hero in a battle movie being tortured, and the taste will never be forgotten.

Later, when I grew up, I said goodbye to my hometown and went to school in other places. Naturally bid farewell to the childhood "stealing dates" life. Those stories of "stealing melons and touching dates" have become the most unforgettable memories in my memory.