Alive in the Summertime

It‘s hot, almost oppressively hot, in the crowded schoolroom. You wipe the sweat from your forehead as the teacher gives final information about how and what the class should read for the summer. You’re barely paying attention because you are so fixated on the large round clock on the wall. The hands are on 2:45.

It was a long cold winter, and the recent warmer months of May and most of June have you excited about the last day of school. After the final gym class, you tie your sneakers together in anticipation of throwing them on the wires at Howard and Wishart Streets.  As the clock clicks to 2:48, you fantasize about going fishing in Wildwood, trips to the cedar lakes in South Jersey, and late nights hanging with the gang at your favorite spot.

The clock strikes 2:49, and you can’t believe how slow time is going. You wonder if the SWIMO is open tomorrow. You anticipate getting a Water Ice from the old man that sells them on Kensington Avenue.  The clock now says 2:51. Nine more minutes, there will be no more pencils, no more books, and no more teachers’ dirty looks.

The lyrics to the One Summer Night by the Danleers whiff through your brain, and you wonder if this is the year you fall in love. Will you meet someone on the Wildwood boardwalk or while swimming at the boulevard pools? The clock on the wall now says 2:57.

You wish you were old enough to drive. It will be soon, and then you could take your friends to Greenwood Dairy for some ice cream. That is if dad will lend you the car. The Clock says 2:59.

Finally, the bell rings, and school is out. As you and your classmates run for the door, you think; finally, I feel  Alive In the Summertime.

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I think it’s time for some fun, so I put together a video to help you remember all the good times when you were kids. The photos are from my Philly Tales photo album, which includes over 1000 more photos of Philadelphia. Take a look at https://mercyrow.com/pages/philly-tales-photos.

You can share the video by visiting the Philly tales blog at this link https://mercyrow.com/blogs/philly-tales/summertime-fun and looking for the share button at the bottom.

If you have some summer tales you would like to share; please comment. What was your favorite summer activity?

Have a very happy and fun summer!!!!!!