It must be so, the summer cottages in Bar Harbor, Seal Harbor, Northeast Harbor and so many other towns in New England are open for the season. It’s no different on the west coast, Avalon has opened for the summer, the Catalina Express has added more runs per day, Hotels, B&B’s, gift shops and restaurants that have been shuttered against the winter are open and raring to go.
Amusement parks, water parks and campgrounds in the Midwest are ready for visitors, the summer hiring and scheduling is moving into high gear. “School’s Out,” by Alice Cooper is blasting across the airwaves.
But you know what it is that really says summer to me? It’s the first 20 seconds or so of “Honky Tonk Woman.” When I hear that cow bell, followed by the pulsating drums and then the reverb of the Telecaster, I’m blasted back into summer.
I’m back on my blue Schwinn Stingray, with the banana seat, 5 speed shifter and ape hangers. We’re cruising all over Homewood and Glenwood. Spending hours at the Lion’s Club pool doing jackknifes and cannonballs off the high dive. Racing our souped up HO slot cars on a custom track, complete with banked curves! Fishing at Izaak Walton or Wampum Lake for bluegill and crappie. Hanging on a friends screened in front porch with summer thunderstorms belting out around, the thunder so loud it hurts our ears, and the lightning so bright it makes us blink
So, I’ll fire up the BBQ, find some meat to toss on it, put on some tunes from the summer of ’68, salute the summer and be a kid again for a while. Happy Summer!
