Keep the Coffee Comimg

Today is warmer than it has been and will even get as high as 59°. That sounds like a day for a ride.

When I was a kid, this would have been a perfect Saturday to ride my trusty steed, my bike. I seldom had a destination in mind. I had special places like the zoo, the train station, the lake and all around up town. I’d bring my lunch, always a sandwich and cookies if there were any left. Sometimes my mother would give me a nickel, a wealth of money. I’d usually buy penny candy or two for a penny candy if I was lucky. I liked the hard candies, the ones which took time to eat. I remember Mary Jane’s, Squirrel Nut Caramels, Bit O’Honey, Mint Juleps and Banana sort of Juleps in the yellow wrapper. Fire Balls were my favorite. I remember at some point I had to take the ball out of my mouth to give my mouth a break from the heat. I liked it when they got small enough to bite. Even now I sometimes buy a package. They last a long time, far longer than when I was a kid.

I have traveled to amazing places. Ghana will always be my favorite. I actually lived in Africa. I never would have expected that when I was eleven and vowing to travel. Another memory is when I stood on the equator with one foot in each hemisphere. The best ride was on the train from Quito to Guayaquil. The train was about the size of a bus. People were standing in the aisle. Nothing stopped the train, not even people or animals on the track. They got a whistle warning. The people moved. Some animals didn’t. I saw bananas growing and mountain tops covered in snow. We traveled on a switchback, up a steep hill and back down again. I think I held my breath.

I have seen the pages of my geography book in real life. I can’t think of anything more spectacular.