As the weather heats up, it's hard not to appreciate all the pleasure Summertime brings. My grandson, Phillip and I were just sitting outside last night and he brought up some of his biggest Summertime memories.
You see, him and his younger brother grew up in a small town so their memories may be different than big city folk. He talked of playing hide and go seek with the neighborhood kids, knowing every little covey hole in the bushes or where, if someone was coming, he could run through a yard without getting decapitated by a clothesline. They were fond of alley walking and yelling "Junk It!" to cars just hoping they'd stop and chase after them. It was good clean fun. And, by the way, why is peeing outdoors in the dark - with nobody around - such a great feeling?!
They'd play Whiffle ball everyday as soon as they got up, after watching CHiPs reruns or playing RBI on the Nintendo. Of course, there was watching the beloved Cubs, listening to Harry and eating as many Cool Ranch Doritos as humanly possible... knowing that later on that evening they got to go play baseball, putting on their uni as soon as the paper route was finished.
You just can't beat Summertime, and for those who are fortunate enough to experience Wrigley Field, there just isn't anything better than watching a ballgame on a hot Summer day. It brings back so many memories and every time I go to Wrigley it's hard not to allow the field to take you back in time.
My grandson said his biggest worry back then was how to fit it all in each and every day... that and why his little brother couldn't throw strikes on RBI.
