Just a little whistle

Our first home in Rockford Illinois had a backyard that ran up against Alpine Park. This made for a very quiet location and a huge playground for our kids. So, in addition to wandering the neighborhood they had the park at their disposal. As we all know, kids at play have no sense of time. So, when suppertime rolled around, we would have to look for them.

I learned at a very young age how to put two fingers in my mouth and produce a very loud whistle. It apparently had a distinctive sound, because I could use it to bring the kids home. I was amazed at how far the sound carried. Martha at times was a little touchy about it as I used the same whistle to call the dog in.

As the kids grew up, they learned about time and meals etc. There was little call for the use of the whistle. Time passed and Julie our middle child was Principal at Roscoe Middle School. There was a function going on and she had asked me to do something. I can’t remember what, but I had to go to another floor to find it. I couldn’t find it.

This was the days before cell phones, and I am on a different floor and I needed to talk to her. Suddenly it dawned on me. I put two fingers in my mouth and let out the old shrill whistle. In a very short time, she found me, and we got what it was she needed.

Later she told me that she couldn’t believe that when I whistled, it stopped her in her tracks.