Summer Joy
"I got my toes in the water, ass in the sand. Not a worry in the world, a cold beer in my hand...Life is good today" because summer is ON THE WAY!
I am not an Alice Cooper fan. But for the past week, I’ve been doing a secret head bang to “School’s out for summer!”
Maybe it’s the humidity or Memorial Day or poolside gin and tonics, but I am ready for the official start of summer. Of course, we still have 11 days of school and a cold front came through, but that wee whiff of warm days to come has me antsy in my pantsy.
Growing up in the South, summer was ushered in by Margaritaville as Jimmy Buffett headlined the outdoor amphitheater the first weekend in June for most of my preteen years. Our parents would buy cheap lawn “seats”, and we’d all pile on to old comforters with bags of contraband snacks shoved in our jean shorts. The ‘rents would get hammered and high (not mine, sadly) and the kids would run wild and free until sweat dripped down our faces and mixed with the sweet, sticky residue of red dye from a $9 slushie. I knew every word to Margaritaville long before I ever knew what a margarita was.
Come July, we’d belt out God Bless the U.S.A. as sparklers threatened to burn our fingers and water balloons came flying from the hose connected to the house. Harry Styles’ got nothin’ on that Watermelon Sugar of pool parties and cul de sac potlucks. I split my time between seed spitting contests on the driveway and running through the sprinkler in the front yard. That hose got more work in July than any other appliance in our house. Kool-Aid was our hydration of choice and a steady diet of ham and cheese and kettle-cooked bbq chips ensured we didn’t starve to death. Oh, and watermelon, of course. The seeds still scare me - ain’t nobody got time to grow a vine outta their ears.
By August, you could feel the anxiety. Summer coming to a close. Time to cram in all the fun. BEACH TRIP! We’d pack up the unairconditioned van early in the morning and hit the road. Two hours later, we’d be first in line for a public parking spot so we could easily shlep our old comforter, a cooler full of finger food, and all the sand toys a wagon could carry down to the ocean. They didn’t make spray suntan lotion back in those days, so with sweaty, sandy hands we’d paint ourselves with sunscreen only to take off running for the water 3 seconds after we finished. We’d spend the entire day with our Toes in the water, lost in the magic of the sun and sand. When the big ball in the sky finally started to give in, we’d go home, covered in salt and sand, sunburt, and exhausted.
Of course, then there’s those Summer Nights. There is no substitute for falling in lust under the summer sun. From sipping Strawberry Wine to making out Under the Boardwalk to rolling those windows down to Cruise, it’s all hot, fast, and over too soon. As the seduction of summer fades, so too does the intensity of that summer lovin’. By Labor Day, you know its over, just a sweet memory that still makes you smile. A heart doesn’t forget Something Like That. I miss those days.
So what is it about summer that makes me want to go Dancin’ in the Street?
Joy.
When I think back to the times I felt the most free to be, at any age, it’s always summer. Maybe it’s being half naked or late nights and later mornings or just not giving a fuck, there is joy in summer. And you can feel it comin’, the joy rising, bubbling under pressure, just trying to stay contained until the official bell rings our release. BUT FIRST. We have to get through field day, and the talent show, and the dance recital, and the kindergarten graduation, and the kindergarten luau, and the last day pictures, and, and, and. Like, who cares already, ring the damn bell!
But of course we care, because all of that is part of the joy of summer too.
So, bust out the sandals friend. Whether or not you were Born in the U.S.A., grab your sparklers and your red, white, and blue. It’s too late to worry if you’re swimsuit ready, so just grab a cover up and dig out the floaties. Stock up on watermelon on your next TJ’s trip and get a margarita in a can because, you know, no glass at the pool and all. Suck up to your friends with boats, and book that beach trip. Go to Costco for sunscreen and buy the slip and slide you absolutely do not need but is on sale for $44.99. Start letting your kids stay up late so they’re not the weak link in the neighborhood, and make sure you’re current on your water bill.
Summer. Is. Coming. Let’s get our joy on!