When life hands you lemons...

Oh, hi there! I didn't see you come in. This really is a pleasant surprise! Come on in out of the rain and dry off ...stay a while.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)'s National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL) based in Norman, Oklahoma, and also renowned Weather Channel Meteorologist Kristina Abernathy: it rained today. I suspected such an atmospheric behavior when I looked out my window this morning, and that suspicion has indeed since been
confirmed. While I do adore a ferocious thunderstorm (although the concept of "hail" was much more exhilarating before I upgraded from "big wheels" to 4wheel drive), I do believe it is time yet again, for bright and cheery skies.

The summer season seems to bring with it a nostalgic feeling of simpler times. I have always looked forward to the warmth of the sun, and carefree days spent soaking in it. When the sweltering sun is too much to bear, and cash is sparse, 6 year old marketing geniuses line the streets with refreshing beverages, for a mind-blowing 10 cents a cup. The real money makers will charge extra for the straws... that's where the real profits are. I know this, because I, too, was a young sidewalk entrepreneur.

Take my advice, kids, because I learned the ropes the hard way, and it will haunt me for the rest of my life:

Years ago, on a peaceful summer day, I drug our old wooden kiddie-sized picnic table (hey whatever happened to that thing, anyways?) to the corner slab of boulevard outside our house. This spot had huge potential - a corner lot - catching traffic not only travelling north to south, but east to west, as well. The stage was set; all I needed was the perfect elixir of sugar, water, and an "ade." The most important decision: would it be "lemon"? The safe choice? Or dare I make a clever switch to "kool"? The general public would surely never see it coming! I threw on my star-shaped sunglasses, hopped on my pink flowered banana seat and sped off to B&D Market. The faster I rode, the 'tinking' sound of plastic flowers sliding up and down my spokes dwindled to the mere whir of rubber on concrete.

By the time I reached the store, I had already confidently pinpointed the perfect summer potion: pink lemonade. How could I go wrong?? I threw my purchase in my plastic faux wicker basket, and rode home with the same raw fury as before. My mother (under my instructions, of course) carefully mixed the rosy concoction to a tee. It was as though she had done this a thousand times. Meanwhile, I grabbed the finest white lined paper money could buy, and the necessary Crayolas to accurately portray my product. In mere minutes, I created a masterpiece: "Lemonade - 10 cents." In my eyes, the adjacent depiction of a glass of pink lemonade was uncanny. The ice cubes seemed to dance on the page. What simple-minded passerby with any common sense could pass up such an irresistible bargain? I grabbed a jar of change and boldly marched into place.

It was a hot day... I knew it would be hook, line, and sinker. A short moment had passed, and I quickly made my first sale (not surprisingly). Shortly thereafter, a young couple stopped to quench their thirst-- already I was up 30 cents!! Then... I saw it... bright, shiny, and green: the station wagon of all station wagons; and she was packed full of parched men, women, and children. JACKPOT! I waited there on the curb, cool and collected, pretending not to notice as the mother approached my humble stand. Out of the corner of my eye, I estimated at least 8 bodies in the backseat of the car, give or take a few - I can't be sure, this was no time to gawk.

"It's 10 cents?" she asked.
"Yep!" I said. "10 cents."
"Ooh, looks pretty good!" she kindly remarked. On the outside, I smiled and accepted the compliment. On the inside, I thought,
"Of course it looks good, lady, this is the best lemonade stand within 5 blocks of here. You'd be hard pressed to come across nectar this good again in a very long time."

[On a side note, sometimes my perception of myself in my own thoughts takes on a "newsies" character, standing on a dim-lit alley corner flipping a nickel in the air with one hand, the other in my pocket, talking out the side of my mouth-- I'm not sure why.]

"I'll take 6 cups!" She said with delight. I vigorously began to fill 6 cups of pink lemonade 3/4 of the way full, handing her each one as I finished. Soon, every child in the wagon had a cool drink. I awaited my prize. She opened her black snap coin purse as I extended my hands in anticipation. As she placed a shimmering dime in my hand, I reached for my jar of change to seal transaction number one. I placed the silver in the jar and began to extend my hand once more, (by now, giving her plenty of time to rummage for 5 more coins) only to find the coin purse not only closed, but hastily being stuffed back into its larger counterpart...I was speechless. I stood there in disbelief, my mind stirring - She couldn't possibly think that it was all 10 cents!? Could She?? She knew it was 10 cents a cup - didn't she?? How could she make that mistake? It's so obvious! Maybe she's getting more change in her car?? I gave her the benefit of the doubt while I stood there, stunned.

"Thank-you!!" She waved, as she closed her car door.
"Thank you!" I answered back, unable to come up with anything better to say.

I was duped! A cute little 6 year old like me! Taken advantage of, by a nice lady in a Ford Station Wagon! I waited until the car was out of sight to pull the sign from the table. I marched back inside, enraged by the previous events. I grabbed my trusty Crayola Marker and altered the sign to it's true intentions: "Lemonade - 10 cents a cup." I sold a few more lemonades before wrapping up sales for the day. I gathered up my meager profits and closed up shop. The recollection of that day's tragic events will forever haunt my memory. I like to think that at some point, sometime, somewhere, she remembers me too - a cute little girl with pigtails, just trying to make ends meet, in the sweltering heat of summer.

Sometimes when life hands you lemons, it's not so easy to make lemonade...I guess you have to hope life also hands you a whole lot of sugar.

Peace out,
H