Matthew remembered little The gang erupted into a of that day 75 long years ago, puddle of laughter. Andy Carroll except for a girl who had spent leapt to his feet all of a sudden time talking to him. Rather than and said, drunk!” which “I’m focusing on his blindness, she unleashed another barrage of asked about his favorite books, if laughter. Somebody else said, he thought America would get why don’t we go “Hey, pulled into the war, and if he liked to dance. A couple of the As dinnertime passed, most protested, but Matthew heard of the kids went home. A dozen or great enthusiasm from most of so stayed and made a bonfire on the gang. dark, anyway,” “It’s the beach. Fortunately, Suzie and Tony said, already beginning to her friend Ellen were among the undress. all be like “We’ll stragglers. Tony brought out the Matthew tonight!” whiskey. Cans of beer and who A weight pressed down on knows what else were passed Matthew with those words. The around until the entire group of lighthearted, happy feeling he’d them were three sheets to the had a moment ago slipped away wind. Ellen was trying to get them like the water the kids were now to sing Doodle Dandy’, splashing in. For a while tonight, ‘Yankee but the ruckus that ensued could he hadn’t thought about being hardly be called music. When different. He was just having fun, Matthew found he couldn’t hanging out with friends, and he remember the words, he figured wanted that feeling back. He he better pass when the next slipped off his shoes and socks, bottle came around. then his shirt, and finally he stood As the next chorus began, and slipped out of his shorts. one of the boys Matthew didn’t Whoever was at the fire could see know belched out, a him, but so what? He decided to “Stuck feather in his ass and said it leave his cane by his clothes and looked like Tony!” made his way down the beach.
Matthew remembered little of that day 75 long years ago, except for a girl who had spent time talking to him. Rather than focusing on his blindness, she asked about his favorite books, if he thought America would get pulled into the war, and if he liked to dance. As dinnertime passed, most of the kids went home. A dozen or so stayed and made a bonfire on the beach. Fortunately, Suzie and her friend Ellen were among the stragglers. Tony brought out the whiskey. Cans of beer and who knows what else were passed around until the entire group of them were three sheets to the wind. Ellen was trying to get them to sing ‘Yankee Doodle Dandy’, but the ruckus that ensued could hardly be called music. When Matthew found he couldn’t remember the words, he figured he better pass when the next bottle came around. As the next chorus began, one of the boys Matthew didn’t know belched out, “Stuck a feather in his ass and said it looked like Tony!” The gang erupted into a puddle of laughter. Andy Carroll leapt to his feet all of a sudden and said, “I’m drunk!” which unleashed another barrage of laughter. Somebody else said, “Hey, why don’t we go A couple of the protested, but Matthew heard great enthusiasm from most of the gang. “It’s dark, anyway,” Tony said, already beginning to undress. “We’ll all be like Matthew tonight!” A weight pressed down on Matthew with those words. The lighthearted, happy feeling he’d had a moment ago slipped away like the water the kids were now splashing in. For a while tonight, he hadn’t thought about being different. He was just having fun, hanging out with friends, and he wanted that feeling back. He slipped off his shoes and socks, then his shirt, and finally he stood and slipped out of his shorts. Whoever was at the fire could see him, but so what? He decided to leave his cane by his clothes and made his way down the beach.
2015%20Autumn%20S&S.docx