7-11 not just in movies

Summer has officially begun and I feel uneasy. I'm unsettled. I'm here in Harrisonburg until June 4th and then I will be gone until August. Though I'm excited (and I am very excited) I can think of several things I will miss about summer in Harrisonburg:

1. morning.
Mornings in Harrisonburg for one reason or another are perfect. A kind of pale yellow/ custard colored light fuses the air and mountains are all misty around the valley. In the morning I can see the whole city from my window and what can I say besides I wouldn't prefer any other city.

2. mennonites.
In the summer there is a family of Mennonites who set their kids out on the side of route 33 going out towards WV to sell ears of corn for a dollar each. good corn. lay on the butter and salt and sit it the grass with some ice tea. Tell me if you can think of a better day.

3.moonshine.
not really, I just thought it went well with the M alliteration.

4. thunderstorms.
Enough said right? a good thunderstorm is like fireworks-you're so caught up in the lights and sounds you cant think of anything else. They're good to fall asleep to because you feel particularly warm and safe inside you're home when there is chaos going on outside.

5. turf games.
I honestly cant put my finger on what it is about turf league soccer games that MAKE summer summer. it could be that they're at night and its warm despite the disappearing sun and you can watch soccer games until 11 o'clock drinking slurpees. On a typical summer evening where else would you rather be?

Some things about Harrisonburg summers that I wont miss...

1. bugs.

2. humidity.

3. the country club.
Not that I ever belonged there, but quite the opposite, I served food there and I really don't think my heart could take another summer. can I briefly paint a picture for you that will simply make your heart break? I'm in the snack shack. A four year old girl waddles up to the counter with her mom nudging her forward. she puts her chin on the counter and looks at me. Get whatever you want sweetheart. I want onion rings and cheese sticks. bless her heart. Her mom walks her over to one of the plastic lawn chairs as I prepare the little girl a deep fried mess of food. The little girl is already so overweight. When I call her name I realize she walks up to the counter alone. When I pass her her food through the window I ask Wheres your mom? Golf Course she says before waddling back to her plastic lawn chair where she sat alone to eat. Her mom didn't return to her sun burnt baby girl until hours later. Take a second to let sink in what is happening here. Its funny how neglect is not always deprivation of the things we want but rather the things we need...like love. Mom wasn't loving her child; She was paying her off. So I wont miss the country club.

All in all Harrisonburg is a good place to be in the summer, you know, blue hole and 7-11 and such.