‘The most dreaded words of summer…Back To School Sale,’ bemoaned Billy B. ‘It is only July 19th…I swear that the summer gets shorter and shorter each year,’ Jane said. ‘The first day of classes is less than a month from now,’ Neva J. agreed. ‘We have yet to ride our bicycles from Eldorado to Harrisburg by way of the backroads,’ Chet advised. ‘I have heard that the backroads have mysterious things along their trail that most folks have never seen,’ Daryl said with a wink. ‘Mom told me that there is a deserted church and a cemetery that has broken gravestones along the road,’ Jane said with a look of expectancy.

‘We will want to take plenty of sweet ice tea to drink and some Merlot and…a picnic basket full of Oscar Mayer Weiners,’ said Chet. ‘How are we going to carry all of that on our bicycles,’ Jane asked? ‘I am riding with Neva J. in the 57′ and we will follow the bicycle caravan,’ Chet noted with a laugh! ‘Be careful because Neva J. is going to let me drive…while she enjoys a bit of Red,’ Chet smiled. ‘We will picnic at the old church and cemetery,’ said Neva J.

‘I see the steeple, Jane exclaimed! ‘The front door is standing open… let us enter,’ Neva J. laughed the laugh of a school girl. ‘Chet and I were right behind you guys when you suddenly disappeared…then when we drove into the cemetery lot you were all at the old church…what hidden back road did you take,’ Neva J. asked? ‘We saw a dirt path covered by trees and rode down it for just a short way where we saw the church on our right,’ Billy B. said. ‘We drove the 57′ about 5 miles,’ Chet said. ‘We rode our bikes less than a mile and we were here,’ Jane said. ‘Now that is a shortcut,’ Daryl proclaimed!

‘Welcome,’ said Parson Bump. ‘You folks are from Eldorado…I presume,’ PB continued. ‘Many members of our congregation are Eldoradoians,’ PB noted. ‘We thought that your church was deserted,’ Neva J. said with a surprised look on her face. ‘You and I have the same last name,’ Billy B. said with a curious look in his eyes. ‘I am you Billy B…we are the same…

The Heavens opened last night and early this morning. Our pond is higher than it has been in some time. Mylo slept the sleep of the innocent…but the storm awakened me. The weather app on my iPhone is extraordinary compared to the weather prognostication of my youth. I almost feel like a weatherman.

Our weather has become like an episode of Stranger Things. The rules no longer apply. I recall hearing how aerosols were damaging the ozone in the 1980s. Also, gasoline engines were contributing to global warming. In those days it seemed so far away…now it is here to stay…it causes me to long for yesterday.

Tomorrow we say…things will be better tomorrow. We will fill our barns to their rooftops and we will eat and drink and be merry…why work says the grasshopper to the ant…I much prefer fiddling…and the iPhone says lightning has struck a mile from you…

As a lad, I watched with some amazement and wonder the cartoon called The Jetsons. After all, they had flying cars! This was during the 60s and the vision of the future was inspiring and a bit unbelievable. I felt the same way when I saw the Comic Detective Dick Tracy talk to his team on his wristwatch. These popular cartoons were about the progression of and upward mobility of society. After all, we were the victors in World War II and had moved to the suburbs, and the Baby Boom Generation was born…of which I am a card-carrying member. With the advent of color television and soon to be the opening of Disney World in Florida where they even had animatronics of the presidents that arose from their seats and spoke to the audience…nothing could stop us. But…there was the Vietnam War the struggle of the Civil Rights Movement and the marginalization of women. Our President was assassinated and then Dr. Martin Luther King…and Bobby…

Gay folks were persecuted in the times of The Jetsons and often had to hide their love for each other. ‘We Came A Long Way, Baby,’ Virginia Slims Cigarettes commercials assured us in the years to come. Yet now our Supreme Court looks back to the happy times of the insular and privileged youth. A time of bigotry and hate and the supposed ‘Separate but Equal,’

Freedom of religion does not mean freedom of your religion…it means freedom of all religions. There have always been haters…but they must not rule our laws and government. How can people with inordinate power make the decisions for the people that they represent through their narrow prism of right and wrong and good and evil and influenced by their misogynist bastardization of the faith called Christian…

We still do not have flying cars…and the same struggles for human rights continue…

So today was to be a lovely day at Giant City that was immersed in thoughts of new windows on Wednesday and Maine around the corner. But the shelf in the master closet had other ideas. I looked at it askance the other morning and thought it was leaning just a bit. Then I thought better of my first thought and went joyfully about my day without worry or care. In the middle of the other night, I awoke to wonder…was the shelf winking at me or my imagination. Today I understood that my sin had found me. Too many heavy clothes on a burdened friend. It had been groaning under the weight and asking…’ Don’t you see me…or don’t you care?’ A new shirt in May and then four in June and thoughts of one or two more L.L. Bean articles in September when we are in Maine. My shelf said…’No More!’ MJ told me that she had been thinking that there was a project or three that we needed to focus on this summer…I guess the overburdened shelf was one that emerged from the stress it had been experiencing…

Now and again life brings us a collapse from our own pursuit of happiness. In the midst of our revelries and as we search for another lion to hunt on our safari of life…our closet collapses. Then comes the paring back of our accumulated wealth of possessions. No more corduroy pants that have not been worn in years…but might be someday. No more Brooks Brothers Sweater that has wooden buttons but an entire sleeve blown out at the elbow and has been patched three times. No more L.L. Bean quilted shirt that has a collar frayed beyond repair. No more small sizes that I believe will fit me perfectly once again when I am older…

MJ says we need to start downsizing…but I am just in the thrill of acquiring… It has been said that we enter this world naked and that we exit it in the same manner…but can I at least take my Waffle Shirt and Khaki Pants…

Well…Maine is getting closer and my poor walking shoes are showing the wear of daily hikes at Giant City Woods. It was time to go to the shoe store. After much searching found the right pair and happily paid for the Columbia shoes and spritely left the store to proceed on my Sunday adventure. I considered that I had never owned a pair of Columbia shoes before but that I had some Columbia shirts and jackets. I love them. Such is the life of an old man who gets excited about new shoes…

Unknown horizons stir my spirit. I enjoy what I am doing now and anticipate what the future holds. We all need New Shoes to carry us through life which is a kaleidoscope of changing shapes and vistas.

‘It is time for us to go to P.N. Hirsch to buy some new school clothes for the beginning of classes in August,’ Neva J. said. ‘I wish I had some Time Travel Shoes,’ Billy B. said. ‘I think that those can be found in aisle 5,’ Chet added with a grin. ‘I wonder what 6th Grade will be like…I am excited about being in Junior High,’ Jane said with glee.

‘Those shoes are Boss,’ Chet said to Billy B. ‘Where did you find such colorful sneakers,’ Jane asked? ‘I noticed that when you were playing basketball this afternoon you were able to jump really high and dunk the ball with ease,’ Daryl mentioned with a quizzical look in his eyes. ‘Yes…and come to think of it I have never seen you play basketball before,’ Chet said with a look of being in on the secret. ‘It is 1967 and the only sneakers that I know of are Converse…what gives with the Sheik Footwear,’ Jane asked? ‘One day you will hear all about them…they are called Air Jordans,’ Billy B. said…

We live in the middle of a profound mystery. The movie was already presented on the silver screen when we found ourselves a character. Quickly we learned that we have a role to play and thus set on our job of discovering what it was to be. Others told us what our part should be…but we were unconvinced. Some of us wanted to be the good gal or the good guy and ride a white horse and save the day. Many found the role of Snidely Whiplash to be their calling as they tied Nell Trueheart to the railroad tracks. Dudely Do Right is a more satisfying performance…however, we are captivated by Snidely Whiplash. How often have we rooted for the Bad Guy With a Heart? Tony Soprano comes to mind. If there is good news to report it is buried toward the back of the newspaper…while bad news is the emblazoned headline…

George Costanza of Seinfeld was attempting to flirt with one of Elaine’s colleagues and Elaine grabbed the young woman away from the conversation and told her that George was a bad seed. Where the young woman had before been uninterested…now her curiosity was perked. George began to play the role of bad boy and then Elaine called and told her that George was a good seed…a very good seed…to George’s vehement protestations.

Life presents us with the quandary of how much we want to do to help others while still being a bit of a Badass… We all have a little mischief in us and that is what gives us our character and zeal to accomplish. Indeed we are a unique mixture of good and bad and we find ourselves in the ‘IN BETWEEN’. Full of ‘Piss and Vinegar’ as Neva J. used to say and yet with a heart of gold. Some of the most compassionate people that I have ever met are those who society has marginalized and forgotten. Often they understand Jesus’ admonition…Love one another as I have loved you…’

Have you ever heard a person refer to their Salad Days? Days where they were at the peak of their abilities and health and often carefree and full of fun. Idealism is a marker of our Salad Days. I have been thinking about salad a lot of late since our dear friends Laura and Jim put us on to the health benefits of a salad a day to keep the doctor away.

Throughout my life I have discovered there are many moments of Salad Days…if you just seek them out. At this time of year when I was but a lad I relished going to Pounds Hollow to swim and stop for Moo and Cackle Hamburgers on the way back to Eldorado. When I was swimming I was in my element…not a care in the world and at peace. Being with Neva J. and Chet and Cousin Brenda was a delight and I wished each day would never end. Then there were movies at the Orpheum Theatre on Sunday…all day Sunday…as well as often on Friday nights. What a magical and mystical world of exploration of thought and ideas they were!

The years of Aaron and Jonathon growing us were indeed Salad Days! I became a kid again with them and most days felt like Christmas. Their inquisitive natures and original thoughts stirred my mind and lifted my spirits! MJ and I and Aaron and Jonathon would take out on family vacations to the west coast and to the east coast and to the South with adventure and discovery on our minds. They grew so fast it made my head spin. On more than one occasion their little eyes were peering at me as I endeavoured to sleep during the day due to working the night shift. They could barely see above the height of the bed. I heard one of them say to the other, ‘Do you think he is sleeping.’

My Career at Southern Illinois University @ Carbondale was truly Good Salad! People seemed to like me and support me and appreciate my endeavors. I obtained promotions that I would have never dreamed would be available to me. MJ told me soon after I began as a Building Service Worker I that she believed I would be the leader of the department one day. I laughed in my heart…similar to Sarah when she heard that she would bear a son at her advanced age.

Retirement has been full of Days Of Salad! There has been much travel and much writing and photography and the ability to reflect on the beauties of nature and life. I have settled into who I am and the originality of my personality. I no longer worry about pleasing the Boss or morphing into what is expected of me…not that I ever did… Someone told me a few years ago that it appeared that I really did things my own way…a truer word regarding me has not been spoken…

This is not the end…this is the beginning…

‘The gladiolas are progressing nicely,’ Sally said. ‘Yes, the covering is helping our effort to grow plants,’ Socrates agreed. ‘I spoke with Abigail at the Market and she said that due to Supply Chain Issues, there would not be any toilet tissue for some time. ‘Well…I love our bidets but often there is not enough water pressure to run them,’ Socrates said. ‘I was able to purchase some hamburger that is manufactured by AI,’ Sally said with a smile. ‘Perhaps our AI will clean us after we do our business,’ grinned Socrates. Oh…Soc…you are such a kidder,’ Sally laughed.

‘I miss my books…I had hundreds you realize…a collection spanning over 60 years,’ Socrates bemoaned. ‘I have been reading online from the books of The Happy Traveler and The Book Of Jonathon…they are compiled from WordPress,’ Sally said. ‘Yes I love the humor of Garfield Hugs…it appears that Garfield was a god in the days before the Boom,’ Socrates said with a knowing look.

‘It seems that hate overtook our ancestors…they measured their wisdom by how many of those who were not like them that they could kill,’ Sally said with a tear in her eye. ‘As the Earth became hotter and the floods and droughts increased…they all sought higher ground…until the meteor…’

‘Would you like a cup of Sanka,’ asked Donald the AI assistant? ‘I did not realize that there was any Sanka left,’ said Socrates. ‘I hoarded several cases for you…along with Postum and Ovaltine,’ Donald answered. ‘I can not get over how much he looks like the former President Donald Trump,’ said Sally. ‘After the Boom, the AI’s manufactured their servant AI models after all of the former Presidents of the United States.

‘Remember Church, asked Socrates? ‘I loved Church…it made me feel so peaceful and hopeful,’ said Sally. ‘They all closed after the Boom…there was already spars attendance and the Storefront Preachers took over the remainder of Society,’ said Sally. ‘Yes, there were those who preached hate and venom and destruction for anyone who did not believe like them…and there were those who thought that a spaceship was on its way… with the express mission…to pick up the survivors,’ Socrates noted sadly.

Great, great, great, great, great, great, great, Grandpa Billy B. use to say, ‘Well, it is just about bedtime,’ when he went to sleep at night and, ‘Wakey…Wakey,’ when he awoke in the morning,’ Socrates said with a sly grin. ‘Well it is just about bedtime…power off,’ said Socrates.

‘Power On…Wakey Wakey,’ Sally said the next morning.