7:30 a.m. A time out of Bar Harbor on a bicycle journey to Illinois. I pedaled over to a produce stand and requested if they’d any cantaloupe.
“Why, this can be a produce stand, son.”
“I can promote you a pepper…”
“I can promote you a head o’ lettuce…”
“I can promote you beans.”
“I can’t promote you no…”
“cantaloupe.”
“You want a fruit stand if you’d like a…”
“cantaloupe.”
It was John and Jr. who taught me that fruit and produce don’t go collectively.
“They’re too totally different to promote collectively.”
“If we bought fruit, we’d be a fruit stand…”
“and should you promote fruit and produce…”
“why, then you definately’re a market…”
“and we don’t wish to develop.”
“Uncontrolled progress is bother.”
“We’re easy folks.”
John and Jr. have been father and son. Aspect by facet, ending one another’s ideas. Overalls over flannel shirts and bandanas of their pockets. Heavy workboots nicely taken care of. The arms of produce-men.
“Would you want some water in your bottles?”
“It’s nicely water.”
“Now we have one of the best nicely in Maine.”
“The coldest, too.”
“Some folks purchase these…”
“water purification machines.”
“However we don’t.”
“Don’t want it.”
“Now we have one of the best nicely in Maine.”
“The coldest, too.”
Jr. took the bottles into the home to fill them.
“Positive is a flowery bicycle you may have there. Why, we by no means had something like that once I was youthful. Had an enormous balloon-tired bicycle. One velocity. I used it to court docket Jr.’s mom. Yep, I used to trip that bicycle throughout these hills. When Jr. obtained sufficiently old he’d sit on my shoulders and we’d trip for hours. I by no means obtained drained, not then.Course, we don’t do this a lot anymore.”
John was about 85 and Jr. some twenty years youthful; the hills have been a lot older than both of them and about as steep because the angle of John’s nostril, which appeared to be getting longer with each new phrase.
Jr. got here again with the crammed bottles.
“Is that bicycle nonetheless within the barn, Jr.? We haven’t been on a trip shortly [about 60-some years, I’d wager] It’s about time we pumped these tires up and went for a trip. Haven’t been to Camden shortly now, we may trip there. Whatdya suppose, Jr.?”
By this time, the twinkle in John’s eye had gone supernova.
“Feels like enjoyable, Dad, however should you suppose I’m going to push you up these hills like I used to… Why I’d simply as quickly keep house and thoughts the stand.”
They have been speaking to one another however me.
“In addition to, I need my very own bicycle. It’s none too comfy in your shoulders. Produce is nice we are able to afford one other bike. It’s about time I realized to trip alone.”
“Why have two bicycles once we can get by simply advantageous on one? If you wish to pedal a lot, I’ll trip in your shoulders.”
“Should you suppose I’m using round city with you on my shoulders, you’re a bit touched. What would Mom have thought should you had come courting with Granddad in your shoulders? No sir, I’ll trip my very own bicycle, thanks very a lot.”
For an additional twenty minutes, appeared like 5, John and Jr. mentioned their many rides collectively on that single bicycle. After which it was time to go.
I requested in the event that they knew the place I may discover a fruit stand.
There weren’t any round, they stated none of any advantage, anyway. However how would I like a tomato?
“Tomatoes are actually a fruit, .”
They carried tomatoes, a concession to the expansionists.
Armed with a tomato “Have a squash on the home.”
“Did I point out how squash is essentially the most versatile sort of produce?”
…and a squash
…and one of the best nicely water in Maine
…the coldest, too!
I pedaled off in the hunt for cantaloupe.
About The Writer: Jim Norris lives together with his spouse, 4 youngsters, and 10 bicycles in Springfield, IL.
Photograph by Home of Sims
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