Beatles 'n Darts

Growing up in the '60s was quite an experience, fun and sometimes painful. Many things were a changin' and I guess we all had to adapt.
One thing that didn't change was the fun and goofiness of youth.

The Beatles invaded the USA in the early sixties in a big, BIG way.
My sister and a few million other girls went positively goofy over The Beatles, I mean just nuts. They would go to concerts and scream and cry and scream some more. I saw it on TV!

My sister saw The Beatles at Busch Stadium in St. Louis and yes, she too screamed. Can you imagine a stadium full of girls. . . screaming? Sends chills up my spine!

At the time I was a guy of nine years old and none of this Beatles stuff made any sense AT ALL.
These girls were acting like these four dudes from England were the center of the universe or something.
Man, I thought > I < was the center of the universe. . .these girls were crazy!

I will admit though that I liked a lot of Beatles' music, too. I even got a Beatle wig and boots for Christmas. . .possibly in an attempt
at getting closer to the center of the universe. Undoubtedly, The Beatles were THE big thing of the sixties and I was there! My sister was even more there.

Darts.

I love the game of darts. Throwing a sharp object and seeing it stick into a board is fun. Getting ones aim down to a spot the size of a dime is difficult even for adults so we kids were happy just to hit the dartboard and. . .we put a lot of holes in the wall. . .oops.

For Christmas my sister got a Beatles album and a phonograph (record player) and my brother and I got a game of darts and some pocket knives and stuff (mostly sharp dangerous stuff).

Our family didn't have a lot so three of us had to share a room. It was a long room about 12x18 feet. My sister's bed was at the far end and my brother and I were at the other end.

Bob and I set up the dartboard on Libby's bed and were having a great time throwing darts, and mostly hitting the dartboard.
Libby was in the other room but listening to one of her Beatles records on the record player which was by her bed.

The record ended so Libby said "stop throwing darts and let me change the record". She even said it again

"do not throw the darts" (a little too bossy-like I thought).

So, I stopped throwing darts but she seemed to be taking a long time changing the record.

Bob was waiting for his turn to throw so I said "I can hit the dartboard. . .don't worry".

I wound up took careful aim and threw side-armed.

I want to pause and say something; throwing side armed is not as accurate as throwing overhand. . .any ball player will agree.

The dart went straight and true though. . .straight into my sisters left butt cheek!

It was strange, I was in shock, I saw my big green dart sticking out of her rear end and couldn't believe it!

I think she was still holding the record when the dart hit home and at first she lifted her hands over her head still holding the record and let out a half-hearted. . .woo. When she looked down and saw the big green dart she let out a B movie style scream. It was a real honker. You'd have though it was the dart that ate New York, or something.

She yanked out the dart and ran downstairs yelling "I'm telling Dad, I'm telling Dad". . . twice . . .for effect.

Bob, being a concerned brother, made sure I knew Dad was going to whoop me good. He kept whispering "man, Dad will probably take off the belt for this one" and " Dad is going to REALLY spank you this time".

I had to admit, Bob had me going. Alot like the time he faked pain while getting a shot at the doctors office causing me to hide under the table and grip it for dear life (they had to pry my little fingers open). But that's another story.

Well, Dad only gave me a verbal lashing. I guess I was too old for a spanking. . .not too old not to be stupid, just too old for a spanking.

To this day Libby still wonders whether I did it on purpose.

I will deny it to the end!

In my defense; hey she told a nine year old boy NOT to do something.. .yeah, like that's going to happen.

She was taking a big chance!

If she wanted to play it safe she should have said "hey, those are cool darts, let me see those a minute, will ya".

I listened intently to my Dads words (at least as much as I had to) and told Libby I was sorry. She got a tetanus shot and was fine.

I learned a lesson and am just glad we weren't playing Jarts (lawn darts) otherwise Libby might have had a lobotomy the hard way.

We still laugh about The Dart Experience every time we get together and remember all the fun/dumb/goofy/insane things we did. That's what life is all about really; the the wonderful experiences we've had both good and bad. . .together.

We know one very important thing. . .we love one another, and say it often. We love each other in all situations. That's what family does or at least should do.

All You Need Is Love, really.

I think there was a Beatles song about love. . .maybe even a few.

Yeah, Yeah, Yeah.