Seasons Memories
When I was a kid the beginning of summer marked the end of the school year and the start of fun in the sun, those long days at the beach. You could rent rafts and inner tubes from vendors in their huts stationed nearby. Didn’t have to bring much, just your towel and the cocoa butter or baby oil. Remember the smell? Walking along the sand, row after row of people bronzing in the sun, lathered in oil. You could buy snow-cones and junk food. You’d make new friends. As I remember everyone played nice.
I still love the summer, although I spend little time as a sun-bunny anymore. I wear a hat now and my bikini days are long over! But I was there.
As summer rolled on, by late August I had fewer days sunning on the warm sand. Thoughts turned to the annual ritual of buying clothes and shoes for the new school year. What I got lasted for the year. One stop shop.
The summer memories faded into fall as sweater weather took hold.
A chill in the air. My anticipation of Halloween. My costume. And candy filled my thoughts.
I trick-or-treated with school friends. No adults needed. Mom would give me a pillowcase for my stash. We’d hit the school carnival first then the neighborhood knocking on doors happily yelling, trick-or-treat! Returning home victorious with a heavy pillowcase in hand. I dumped my spoils on the kitchen table. My mom throwing out what she didn’t want me to eat. If anyone gave you a quarter it was a lot of money. With a quarter I would go to the store and buy my favorite candy bar, Three Musketeers. And have change left over. Yes, you heard me. I loved to slowly eat all the chocolate from around the filling first. Then with great pleasure devour the fluffy marshmallow goodness hidden inside.
I love the fall season now. The turning point in the weather. It’s a welcome break from the heat. A cooler breeze in the air. A change in the sky and sunsets. Un packing my sweaters. The anticipation of decorating for Halloween. To hear the excited voices yelling, trick-or-treat! And this time, giving out the candy.
