AMERICANA

I was pulling into the driveway when I noticed my husband Steven and our son Alex, were just finishing hanging the American flag I'd purchased.

“I love it!” I cried as I got out of my car. “Just in time for the fourth of July weekend!”

“You're welcome.” Steven said and smiled as he put the power drill away. “I know it's been sitting by the front door for a long time but I just couldn't find the time to put it up.” he explained. “I figured you'd want it up for this weekend.”

“It's perfect.” I said as I watched the breeze catch the ends and it began to gently wave. “This whole neighborhood reminds me of my childhood.” I said, “Everyone has a flag hung, you can smell the barbecue grills, and listen to that?” I was quiet for a moment so Steven and Alex could hear the sound of the metal bat hitting a ball.

“My childhood memory was a wooden bat hitting a ball.” Steven said. “But I hear what you're saying.”

“We used both.” Alex said looking over at Steven. “I definitely liked the metal bats better, you could hit the ball further with them.”

I had to cut them off because I wasn't finished telling my childhood memories.

“My Dad loved this time of year!” I said. “He'd be up early in the morning, put the flag out, get all of us into the car and head for the nearest parade .” I smiled just thinking about it.”The streets would be lined with hundreds of people and we'd all wave to the passing fire trucks as they blasted their sirens.”

“Wasn't I in a parade once?” Alex asked.

“When you were a cub scout.” Steven said.

Once again, before they could take the conversation in a different direction I continued my thought. “Then we'd come home and fire up the charcoal briquets.” I said. “They'd need to be doused with a huge amount of lighter fluid but once the flames went down and the coals were a shimmering white you'd have the best tasting hamburgers ever!”

Alex looked over at me. “Doesn’t charcoal, lighter fluid and burnt meat cause cancer?”

“Well, of course it does.” I said. “But we didn't know that then so, it was wonderful.”

Alex looked over at Steven who shrugged his shoulders, “Hey, there were a lot of things we didn't know about then.” Steven said.

“Yeah,” I agreed. “Just like when we went out to the parade. There were no seat belts in the car, we all just piled in the back of the station wagon and considered it fun when Dad took a turn too fast and we'd roll from one side of the car to other.”

“Yeah, we thought that was pretty fun, too.” Steven agreed.

“Didn't anyone ever get hurt?” Alex asked.

“Sure.” I said. “If you hit a bump just the right way and landed against someone's knee or elbow you'd come home with a bump on your head or a cut on your lip but that wasn't like it happened every time.”

“It sounds awful!” Alex said.

“It was all part of summer outings with the family.” I said then looked over at Steven. “Remember when it got near dusk, the mosquito foggers would drive through town and you'd feel like you were running around in the clouds?” I had to laugh. “That was the best way to play hide and seek. No one could ever find you in that heavy fog!”

Alex looked horrified.

Steven shrugged his shoulders. “All part of growing up back then.” he said to him.

I smiled as I looked back at our flag. “It's that small town feel you get around here!” I gushed. “Don't you just love it!”

Alex looked at both Steven and I, “I'm thinking the flag part is nice but the rest of your memories sound crazy!”

I looked over at Steven. “I know he has a point, but I still think they were fun times.”

Steven looked at Alex and nodded in agreement. “You had to be there.”