A lonely 4th of July, I slip onto a worn booth bench, springs ready to pop, turning me into an aged bouncing bobble-head. I order “happier times” flavor—blueberries, raspberries, and whipped cream, covering crepes—bursting red, white, blue, into Independence Day taste bud dances. Seven decades, awe inspired, sky-lit painted multicolor glitter, a cosmic punch—thunderclap cymbals: fireworks. Morning haze—sulfur clung air—silence birds’ chirping.
Seated at the next table, I hear a young Boy Scout assure his mother, marching in the parade is no problem for his troop—they practice hiking. Then, proudly announcing, “I’m ready to help if someone gets hurt, because, I studied external and eternal first-aid.” Parade memories float timelessly. At home, I watch for flare-ups as fireworks flash. During late night, far away boom-boom-boom, closed eyes picture a young Boy Scout saving this world with “eternal first-aid.”
April Ryan is a retired Seattle Metro driver and an actively working writer/poet.
SHARING STORIES is a weekly column for and about the 50 plus crowd living in the Puget Sound region. Send your stories and photos to ariele@comcast.net. Tell local or personal stories; discuss concerns around aging and other issues; share solutions, good luck, and reasons to celebrate; poems are fine too. Pieces may be edited or excerpted. We reserve the right to select among pieces. Photos are always a plus and a one-sentence bio is requested (where you live, maybe age or career, retired status, etc.).
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