Grandpa Kustu sits in a rocking chair, smoking his pipe. The fireplace gives out comfortable warmth in to the rooms. Outside, the frost crackles. Grandpa, who has lived on Kirkkokatu street all his life, reminisces about his boyhood years.
At the corner of Kirkkokatu and Saaristokatu streets, near the house of sailor Matti Luoto, there was Pitzen's hill, from which you could sled down Kirkkokatu street all the way to Kirkonlahti by the sea shore.
- The faster, the better, Kustu recalls. Hatmaker Tuomas Pitzen (1787-1860) had lived on the corner lot, and that's how the hill got its name.
Another beloved hill for the young boys was on Ämmänkatu street. Ämmänmäki, also known as Limperinmäki, was sledded down past sailor Mikkel Lindberg's house, crossing over Reiponkatu street towards the fields on the edge of the town. Behind the church, near the old cellars, there was a steep jump, from which they slid down over reiponkatu street throught Hanski and Hassi's estates.
- Madam Hanski could be quite protective of her property, barking at us innocent sledders and tossing coffee grounds onto the sled path in her yard. But we didn't mind, we just kept sledding, grandpa chuckles to himself, remembering how even old man Montan got angry, when we accidentally hit his wall.
- we weren't really mischievous, just a bit too playful, he defends himself.
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Samuli Paulaharju: Wanha Raahe (FI)
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