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They're Back! by J. G. Fabiano
I heard heavy breathing when I was standing in line at the Shop & Save a couple of days ago. It wasn't especially quiet that day, so the concept that I could hear it surprised me more than the breathing itself. I turned around and saw a young man with a 12- pack of beer and some chips. It has been my experience that when one observes someone with a 12-pack of beer and some chips then that person is usually in a good mood. I am afraid this was not the case. He looked stressed out and he didn't mind if everyone in line knew it. I was about to say something to him but then noticed he was twice my size and half my age. I just turned around and let him breath down my neck. Intelligence is the better part of valor! I guess it is safe to say that they're back. Looking around the store I noticed people I have never seen before: not that I know everyone who visits this particular store, but these people were definitely different. Most were dressed in their vacation garb and had most, if not all, of their children with them. By the way, my definition of vacation garb is clothes that one would not wear anywhere else. My wife tells me I wear this type of clothes all the time. Their children seem louder than the children we have up here, year round. Throughout the year, I've heard many a young child cry to have their parents get them something, or just cry because that is what children are supposed to do every now and then. I think it has something to do with their respiratory systems. These particular children went one step above crying, they were screaming. To make things a bit more confused the mothers of these children started to scream at the fathers because, as they put it, "I am on vacation too." It also seems that the only way to stop their children from crying is to buy them something. I wonder if these people have figured out why their children cry so much! As I left the store, I noticed something else that day. It took me twice as long to leave the parking lot. I don't think there were more cars on that particular day but it seems as though everyone was in some sort of a race, to get out of the lot first. I guess they had someplace they had to be. I just had to go home. The summer people are definitely back. One can even see evidence of this by observing the merchandize in our stores. During the off-season most grocery stores sold food and some medical sundries. During this time of year most of our stores are filled with colorful plastic pails and shovels that couldn't possibly last for more than two weeks, but, then again, why would they want them to last any longer? Suntan lotion is a big seller this time of year. Not that we don't need it, but the amounts that are displayed at this time of year could grease up most of Mongolia. I guess insect repellent is another big seller during the summer season: I just never knew there were so many kinds. There is a repellent to kill small ants, maim larger ants or kill only yellow jackets, but it is said to slow down honeybees. My favorite is the one that won't kill anything: it just annoys the hell out of the bugs! A big seller this time of year is magazines and paper-backed-books. Not that we don't enjoy a good book throughout the year, but if the cover of a book has the same thickness as the pages inside the book I doubt if it would survive its first reading. If anyone ever tried to read that kind of book at the beach during some of our windier times I doubt if it would make that first reading. I guess that might just be the point. Driving is also a great way to tell that the summer season has begun. First of all Short Sands Beach goes one way. I have been living here for the past quarter of a century, but a year does not go by when I don't swerve into the parking lot of Star of the Sea church. I guess it is kind of a tradition for me. Once I almost had a head-on collision before the church, but I swerved around the car, one tree, and a couple of cats so I could end up in the church's parking lot. It is not too difficult to understand that I need all the help I can get! Traffic is obviously more intense this time of year. One of the reasons it seems worse is that there are more SUV's on the road this year. I am not complaining, I have no right because I drive a pick-up truck. As to how anyone could compare a truck to a luxury Ford Explorer is above and beyond my comprehension. The only comparison is that they both have ashtrays: at least mine does. The larger the vehicles, the more condensed the traffic. I drove my wife to work the other day using her Camry. I felt as though I was in the midst of ten-wheelers driving a moped. I think I'll stay with my truck until at least mid-September. My wife and I enjoy going out to eat at least once a week. We usually end up at the Union Bluff or Ruby's. They both serve a wonderful light dinner and the people there are always pleasant. Last Friday night we decided to grab something quick to eat, but we were both disappointed because we couldn't see the restaurant through the parked cars. There was a line coming out of Ruby's and the Bluff didn't have a parking place in sight. We then tried Bosen's Landing and again failed miserably. That night I found out that Hungry Man dinners aren't all that bad. I am really not complaining here. I enjoy watching the visitors of our wonderful home. I enjoy walking to the beach to be asked by people passing where Nubble Light is, or if the ocean is near by. I try to answer their questions with a smile and a friendly wave. I also try and slow them down a bit because I assume they came up to York to slow down. I just wish they wouldn't breath so hard! The End
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