2001-04-23
11:16 p.m.

It was Barbeque Chicken that brought it all back. More accurately (can I say that? Or is something either accurate or not?) it was the smell of BBQ chicken that took me out of baltimore and tossed me ten years and sixty miles into the past.

I remember hot summer days. We'd all be off leading our lives. StepDad at work, Mom running G'Ma on errands, Sis spending time with friends, me behind the counter of the Convenience Store.

I remember coming home. The cool tile of the kitchen floor. The cool iced tea in the pitcher (unsweetened, no lemon.) The warm reception of Mom, curious about all our days; happy to spend time with us.

I remember the debate on dinner. Mom wanted corn on the cob. Sis wanted salad. StepDad wanted pork. I always wanted steak. We compromised on BBQ Chicken.

I remember dinner on the porch. The smoke from the grill swirling around the fan and up into the sky. The growing cool, the growing stillness of the coming night. The faint rumble of thunder to the west - far over South Mountain.

I remember the tomatoes from the garden - the pride of StepDad. I remember the asparagas - always the asparagas - which really did grow on me after a while.

I remember drinking the last of that cool iced tea. I remember playing ball with the dogs in the yard while Mom and StepDad looked on.

I remember helping with dishes. Talking to Mom about the future.

I remember it all being so simple. I remember being happy.

And I had forgotton - or would have forgotton - that those are some of my favorite memories.

Yup. I'd have forgotton all right.

If it weren't for the barbeque chicken.


downtown----uptown
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