Conversations From My Front Porch

Scenario:

Two thirty-somethings - one woman and one man - riding bikes. Overcast skies, slightly cool. One egret is standing in the marsh; another is perched on my dock but close enough to watch. Fall is definitely almost here.

Man: How long has it been...twenty years?
Woman: *pause*...I don't know how long it's been.

Before I moved to the island, I hardly ever saw anyone riding bikes anymore. Once in awhile, you'd see someone, backpack firmly perched on his back, riding down the highway, but he was on a mission. Kids nowadays have a mission with their video games, I'm afraid.

But what they are missing.

When I first moved to the island, that was all you'd see. Two-wheelers, scooters, 3 wheel cars the tourists just love to rent from the vendors in town. It was like a whole other world around here. If you had a bike or a scooter, you could get anywhere - the store, post office, beach. Anywhere.

I saw the annual pony penning perched on my bike. I visited the carnival - not once but twice - perched on my bike. I rode 14 miles to the beach and back, been to McDonald's on my bike and have been to Mr. Whippy's on my bike.

My bike and me, we are inseparable. There is nothing better than to hop on your bike and take off into the fresh outdoors. I love looking at the houses, the yards, the wildlife, all from the open-air window of my bike.

I have a special thing I'm going to do for Halloween. My son and I are going to take off just before it gets dark and take pictures of the houses decorated around here and maybe a few kidlets dressed in Halloween attire and put them up on my blog. I can't wait.

I don't want summer to end but maybe I can make the passing of Fall a little bit brighter - all with the help of my no-gas, foot powered, friend who makes me remember what it's like to be a kid again.