Summer Breeze

Writer’s Workshop

 

Last updated 6/24/2021 at 9:12am



Summer breeze makes me feel fine

Blowin’ through the jasmine in my mind

The refrain from a song by Seals & Crofts always heralds summer’s joys for me. I listened to it while writing this piece. “Summer Breeze” reached No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1972. Now my mind drifts to 1972. I was nine years old and I remember soaking up sunshine & pool water at the Bern Township pool. I’m taken back to that delightful, simple time when anything was possible and everything was perfect. Reverie.

I’ve just closed my eyes again

Climbed aboard the dream weaver train

Driver take away my worries of today

And leave tomorrow behind

Another awesome summer song, “Dream Weaver” by Gary Wright, 1976 played over and over at the pool.

Reverie takes me back to that time and place. I look around in my mind and see miles of faded blankets covering the lush green grass surrounding the pool. We always got there early so we could get a good spot. Looking back, what’s a bad spot? I see my friends laughing in the crystal clear water. There are high and low diving boards. I’ve been on both and it’s thrilling. Just beyond the low end of the big pool sits the baby pool. We go there to warm up after playing in the big pool, sometimes. Beyond the baby pool is a picnic area and beyond that, the playground. We only go to the playground after lunch or when the lifeguard blows the whistle indicating adult swim time. That lasts for-ev-er! The playground is cool, though. You can play in the sand box, swing, climb and still hear the music. There are tall arborvitae surrounding the playground. It feels like our own private place outside of Mom’s watchful eye.

Summer breeze makes me feel fine. Surrounding the big pool, moms are lounging on blankets and visiting with each other, not really watching their kids. After all, that’s what life guards are for. After too much time in the water I run to Mom, cold and shivering. She wraps a sun warmed blanket around me. The heat penetrates my water shriveled, seemingly frozen body. It feels so good. With blue lips and shivering teeth, I beg to go back into the water. Everyone is still there, laughing and playing and I’m on a self-imposed time out. Soon though, I’m warm enough to jump back in. Mom releases me and off I go. Spuh-lash! We play Marco Polo, chase each other, banging into other kids and adults just trying to cool off. We race from one end of the pool to the next, getting whistled at by the life guards. “Slow down,” they yell. We don’t care. Life is good and the sun is bright and warm.

When I look back, I see Mom sitting on the blanket playing cards with Aunt Louise and Kym’s mom, Donna, warm towels at the ready and snacks in hand. Oh yea, the snacks. The best thing for a little water bug’s growling stomach is the mom snacks. Aunt Louise always had frosted mini wheats which we washed down with multi-flavored sodas from A-Treat. Mom brought sub sandwiches and chips for lunch or sometimes splurged and let us buy pizza from the snack bar. Wow, the snack bar. There’s a whole other reason to love summer. Flying saucers that tasted like Styrofoam filled with sugary beads, giant Tootsie Rolls, sugar dots on paper, candy necklaces, soft pretzels & pizza to name a few delectables. Every now and then, Mom gave me money to pick out something. The choosing was painful yet sweet.

Summers at the pool were magical. We pretended to be mermaids, Olympic swimmers or Jacques Cousteau’s team of oceanic explorers. Summer breezes woven with dreams, cool water and sweet treats are the beautiful memories I have every time I hear a song from the 70’s.

I’ve just closed my eyes again…

 

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