Wednesday, March 11, 2015

The Freedom of Pre-Adolescence

The first warm days of the year have brought out a whole new crop of pre-teens ready to hang-out around town.  I noticed a group of three young men just this afternoon as they gathered around a plastic globe of free cheese samples at the grocery store.  They definitely scarfed down more than the average shopper but didn't stay so long as to call out the store management.

I remember those early days of freedom.  To be able to go wherever your feet would take you without a parent was certainly a sign of growing up.  The three boys I spied this afternoon are lucky to live in an area that offers a bevy of shopping and free tastes.  When I was their age the nearest place of commerce was a 7-11 about a mile from my house.

During the summer months my neighbor, Suzanne, and I would make a daily trek to "the Sev" for a cold drink and a treat.  I always went for a Dr. Pepper and a Slim Jim.

At the age of 12 it didn't get much better than that.

2 comments:

  1. Those sound like some fine times-- I don't know why we never called it the Sev!

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  2. Isn't it freeing to see middle schoolers out and about, without any obligation to keep them in line? Both you and they deserve some the space to stretch.

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