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March 10, 2005

a weakness for sunshine

Ah, spring, when a young man's thoughts turn to baseball.
Ah, spring, when a young man's thoughts turn to taxes.
Ah, spring, when a young man's thoughts turn to...ah...what were we talking about?

I squeezed past the youth hanging by the door of the narrow gas station kiosk to wait in line behind another motorist paying for his gas.

When my turn came I stepped up and asked the young woman behind the register for $15 dollars on pump five.

"Fifteen dollars?" the asked. There is no other way to describe her tone than to say it was sweet. Her cheer, courtesy and feminine charm charged the room, making we three men pause, suspended for a moment from our busy morning rush.

"Yes," I said, handing her a $20. She took the money, and then smiled out the window for the briefest instant. Then she opened the cash drawer to give me change and said, with a slight Italian accent, "I'm sorry, the sun makes me so happy."

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" I replied, noticing that she had freckles on her nose.

"Yes, I'm hoping it might be spring."

I smiled, took my change and stepped past the youth by the door. It is no wonder he seemed to loiter. And as I pumped my gas, I considered that I knew what she meant, with her comment about the sun. A year ago I stepped out of my apartment into the first truly sunny day of spring, and almost felt like weeping with joy and relief.

It is strange to find the spring so welcome. I had always had a special fondness for autumn. Spring, for me, was a time of mud and hayfever. Ah, spring.

Posted by joel at March 10, 2005 03:32 PM

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Comments

I hope that y'all's sunshine down Kokomoways was more than the tease we got before the snow up here in the North End. Nothing like it.

Okay, maybe L's smile when she sees me across a room....

Posted by: manasclerk [TypeKey Profile Page] at March 13, 2005 09:18 PM

I guess I should remind you, Joel, that you're here and winter here is especially dull-making.

Posted by: k_sra at March 15, 2005 02:41 PM

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