Cobwebs in the Corner

It was just like any other summer’s day in the Lone Star State, except there is only one July 20th, 1973 in history, and the only time Lacey would turn thirteen. But otherwise it felt like any other day. How could I have known it wouldn’t be?

Lacey and I were hanging out at my house after her roller skating party in town. I had been granted a well deserved ‘free day’, mamma argued, much to the protest of my Father. He didn’t like Lacey one bit, and if not for my mother our friendship wouldn’t be allowed at all. “She’s bad for that boy’s head,” he huffed, “bad for this family!”

All I know is that I wanted to spend every waking minute with Lacey, even though we were from opposite sides of the track, different worlds all together really.

***
It was ten minutes after one o’clock. I know because Lacey announced it after looking at her new watch; pink with little sparkling gems around the face. Five minutes ago it was ‘five minutes after one o’clock!” or “fifty five minutes until two o’clock!” She was awfully proud of that watch.

Lacey had a pink bicycle with a multi-colored banana seat on which she was now perched; legs flailing, hair flying in the wind and exhilarating squeals of delight piped from her lungs filling the air with sounds of adventure. We were only going to the mailbox for heaven’s sake. But Lacey found adventure in everything, and she was infectious. That’s why I loved her so much; she made me feel alive.

My bike was blue, and rusty, but much faster. Lacey gave me a Queen of Hearts playing card, which I attached to my spoke with a wooden clothes pin. . . . rat-a-tat, tat, tat, tat, tat it hummed as I peddled faster and faster. It was important to be faster, I mean since she was pretty, popular, talented and smart. I had to have some claim to fame for my manhood, didn’t I? We called my bike the ‘sound machine’.