August 29 2013
I woke up on Monday morning with thoughts swirling through my head. Then I remembered it was the last day of summer. My brother had school today and both of my parents had work so I was stuck at home with zero drivers license and zero place to go. I rolled out of bed and stumbled down the stairs collapsing in my dads comfy chair in front of the TV. I got a bowl of cereal and watched MTV while crunchily eating granola. My phone buzzed. It was my friend Ryan from band. "hey" it said "wanna hang?"
"Sure" I typed back. I waited a few minutes and then my phone buzzed again. "ok but we have to make today awesome because it's the last day of summer. No pressure. I'll be at your house in 15 minutes" I glanced at the clock which read 10:15. I swore under my breath. Why hang out this early? I dizzily stumbled into the shower my eyes still heavy with sleep. I vigorously scrubbed my hair and took possibly the fastest shower ever. I ran dripping wet up to my room and pulled on my favorite red T shirt and navy blue short shorts. I combed through my messy tangles of shoulder length blond hair. I ran downstairs just in time to hear a soft beep of a car horn. I pulled on my navy blue converse and sauntered out the door. "Hey" Ryan said with a smile his eyes twinkled and his sexy Italian olive skin made him look like he lived in the sun. "so where do you want to go?" I thought for a minute.
"We could go to the bike path and take a walk for a while."
"Cool" he said and started his car. The radio blinked to life and blasted acoustic. We belted lyrics until I forgot I was giving Ryan directions. "TURN HERE!" I screamed. The car came to a screeching halt and I felt the axles slowly shift to turn into the parking lot. I got out of the car and we strolled along the path. Two hundred years ago this path had been a railroad. Then when trains became something other than the main mode of transportation they shut it down. Then about 15 years ago they tore up all the railroad tracks and paved the path. They kept one piece of the metal track intact and that was set on a small patch of grass which acted as a fork in the middle of the road. They also set an old rail car on the tracks next to the stone foundation of a really old house.
We walked through for a while, shaded beneath the canopies of trees and isolated by tall solid walls of rock on either side. Moss and leaves grew scattered among the rocks giving it a "rain forest" look. When we finally came to the mile and a half marker we turned around and walked through the enchanted forest to the world from which we came.
When we collapsed back in the car Ryan turned and said "Now what do you want to do?" Not knowing we were doing anything else I said
"I don't know you can pick this time."
"Okay" he said. We drove to a neighboring town singing Jason Mraz and Billy Joel. We parked in the parking lot of a huge field. "Do you want to play frizbee?" Ryan asked
"Sure" I said. Ryan always has at least two frizbees with him and two in his car. We took our shoes off and ran around the field passing the frizbee back and forth. The cool grass felt good on my bare feet in the summer heat. A noontime sun beat down on us. Ryan brought out his drum major mace and taught me how to spin it.
"It's one continuous motion." he said "like this." he twirled the mace effortlessly in his hands. He passed it to me "your turn." I started to spin the staff. "hey I'm starting to get the hang of this" I smiled just in time for the metal mace to hit me in the face. "ugh" I dropped the metal pole to the ground.
"Nice one Ty" Ryan said. "Are you ready to go get lunch?" My stomach grumbled in reply.
We jumped in the car. "Okay" Ryan said "this town has two kinds of food pizza and doughnuts."
"Go for pizza" I replied. We parked outside a pizza place and ordered two slices. We sat by the window and watched soap operas on a tv in the corner. "I think my mom watches this show" Ryan said. We walked out of the pizza place. "ice cream?" Ryan asked and pointed to the creamery next door.
"Please!" I begged. A small silver bell dinged on the way in and we looked at the menu. Ryan ordered a cotton candy flavor and I stuck to chocolate fudge brownie. I insisted on using the tiny kid spoons because they were so cute. We played connect four in the cafe style parlor and chowed down on frozen treats until we both got brain freezes.
"Ok your turn" Ryan said as we got back in the car.
"How about mini golf?" I asked.
"I'm game" he answered. We played all 18 holes and I beat him by two. Then we found we had no where to go but home. We parked in my driveway and went inside. "we could watch a movie." I suggested.
"Sure. you pick." He answered.
"Are you sure?" I asked. "Howls Moving Castle is pretty weird."
"I can take it." he answered. We sat close on the couch and watched the movie. Our fingers brushed once or twice but nothing too exciting happened. We were silent except for the occasional "What?!" And "What the fuck?!" From Ryan and giggles from me.
"I love that movie" I said as a closed the DVD case with a click.
"Why? There's no point in the movie!" Ryan cried.
"Sure there is" I argued "it's about love and life."
"Whatever" Ryan said "that's still the strangest movie I've ever seen. Want to go outside?"
"Sure" I said. We played basketball together even though I sucked at it and only made one basket. Then we sat on the roof of his car and talked under the setting summer sun. Though some may disagree, it was the best last day of summer ever.
~Tyson
