Picture this. . .

A small crew of children (boys and girls, mostly boys) assembled on a street corner with a folding table, a pitcher, and a few old plastic mugs. They yelled at me and waved their hands the first time I drove by and I guessed their intentions from the objects on the table (there wasn't a sign anywhere). I turned a few corners and drove by again, but this time I pulled over and put my van in park. I grabbed four quarters (courtesy of my Mom since it was her van) and put them in my pocket.

Leaving the vehicle running I crossed the street to their little table. I asked if they happened to be selling lemonade and a little blonde girl, about seven years old, with oddly shaped eyes told me that it was iced tea. I asked her how much one would cost me as I reached in my pocket and closed my hand around the quarters. It turned out that it was only 10 cents a cup. I asked if I could pay with a quarter (since that was all I had). None of the children seemed to have a problem with that and I was handed a large plastic mug in exchange for my money.

"Bring back the cup!"
"Okay, I will."
"Drink it now!"
"Okay, I will."

The tea was sweet with a lot of undissolved sugar and a seemingly equal portion of that lemon juice that comes in the lemon shaped bottle. I drank it fast, without spilling, and presented the empty cup to them with my arms held away from my body as if to say, "tadah!" This seemed the please them.

As I walked back to where my vehicle was parked they yelled at me to make sure I came back and I assured them that I would tell all of my closest friends to make sure they stopped by. I got in my van with a smile on my face. In that moment I was truly happy. I'm trying to hold onto this memory now. I feel so Norman Rockwell.

- posted by Jonathan@ 6:57 PM