Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - A Lazy Summer Day in 1982

Episode Date: August 3, 2022

Narrator: Marcellus Shepard 🇺🇸 Writer: Alicia ✍️ Sound design: morning birdsong 🌅🐦   Welcome back, sleepyheads. Tonight, we'll enjoy the sense of freedom and fun that long, childhoo...d summer's used to bring. We’ll follow Brian and his friends around their neighbourhood as they enjoy their vacation back in 1982.    👀 Watch, listen and comment on this episode on our brand new Get Sleepy YouTube channel! And hit subscribe while you're there! :)   Support our Sponsors - BetterHelp. Looking after our mental health is so important. BetterHelp is there for you, no matter what you've got going on! BetterHelp is online therapy from the comfort of your own home. Go to betterhelp.com/getsleepy for 10% off of your first month. Check out other great products and deals from Get Sleepy sponsors: getsleepy.com/sponsors/   Support Us   - Get Sleepy’s Premium Feed: https://getsleepy.com/support/.  - Get Sleepy Merchandise: https://getsleepy.com/store.  - Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/get-sleepy/id1487513861.    Connect  Stay up to date on all podcast news and even vote on upcoming episodes!  - Website: https://getsleepy.com/.  - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/getsleepypod/.  - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/getsleepypod/.  - Twitter: https://twitter.com/getsleepypod.    About Get Sleepy  Get Sleepy is the #1 story-telling podcast designed to help you get a great night’s rest. By combining sleep meditation with a relaxing bedtime story, each episode will guide you gently towards sleep.    Get Sleepy Premium Get instant access to ad-free episodes, as well as the Thursday night bonus episode by subscribing to our premium feed. It's easy! Sign up in two taps!  Get Sleepy Premium feed includes:  Monday and Wednesday night episodes (with zero ads). The exclusive Thursday night bonus episode. Access to the entire back catalog (also ad-free). Exclusive sleep meditation episodes. Discounts on merchadise. We’ll love you forever. Get your 7-day free trial: https://getsleepy.com/support.    Thank you so much for listening!  Feedback? Let us know your thoughts! https://getsleepy.com/contact-us/.   That’s all for now. Sweet dreams ❤️ 😴 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Starting point is 00:00:00 Before tonight's episode, I want to let you know about our supporters' feed Get Sleepy Premium, the best way to experience the show and get a good night's sleep. With Get Sleepy Premium, everything is ad-free. You'll receive a bonus episode every week, and have full access to our entire back catalogue. Your support really helps, and means so much to us. Simply tap the link in the show notes to learn more. Now, a quick word from our sponsors who make it possible for us to bring you two three episodes each week. Imagine how much better the world would be if everyone woke up well-rested every day.
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Starting point is 00:01:28 follow the link for Get Sleepy Premium in the show notes, or you can subscribe directly with an Apple Podcast. Thanks so much for your support. Welcome to Get Sleepy, where we listen, we relax and we get sleepy. I'm Tom and I'm your host. Thanks so much for being here tonight. Many people have fond memories of the long, carefree summers of childhood when they roam to their neighborhoods all day. Tonight we'll return to that world, and more specifically to a summer day in 1982. It's okay if you don't have similar memories of that time. If you weren't born yet, or if you were already an adult back in 82,
Starting point is 00:02:30 you can still listen to tonight's story and enjoy a lazy summer day as you drift off to sleep. We'll follow Brian and his friends around their neighborhood as they enjoy their vacation and their special time being kids. It will all be read by the wonderfully soothing voice of Marcellus. Let's settle in for tonight's story with a moment of mindfulness and relaxation. I'm sure you'll agree many of life's most precious moments and memories tend to be made in the warm summer months when the weather is bright and the evenings are long. So, as you relax into bed, letting your breathing become slow and steady. Allow your mind to trace back to a beautiful summer memory you can recall.
Starting point is 00:03:48 It might be one from your childhood, like in tonight's story, or one of your first holidays as an adult, or perhaps it was as recent as the last few years. Whenever naturally comes to mind, just go with it and allow Breathe in and out, and just pay attention to what stands out in that memory. Is it the location and your surroundings, the people you were with, or the pleasant solitude of exploring on your own. Maybe it's the comfort of home, laying in a sunny garden. Whatever that precious memory holds for you, let it flow through your mind and fill you with that same, summary warmth you would have experienced at the time. Take a nice deep breath in now. And as you let the air flow back out, allow that memory to gently drift away, bringing your attention back to the here and now. Marcellus has a summer story to share, so you can let your imagination be your guide as you listen along tonight. Begin by imagining that you have travelled 40 years back in time.
Starting point is 00:06:19 You are with Ten-year-old Brian who is just waking up in his bedroom to the sound of birds outside his window. He's about to have a day of glorious laid-back summer fun. Let's join him now as our story begins. Ryan walked quietly down the beige carpeted stairs of his house, feeling the fibers sink under his bare feet. His mom and dad had already left for work, and he had the entire house to himself. Instead of making any loud noises, however, he had the feeling he should tread lightly. It was as if the silence needed to be respected. He reached the bottom of the staircase and walked through the living room with its large couches opposed to neutral tweed fabric. The seating area and coffee table were perfectly Without a speck of dust and sight, every pillow on the couch was plumped just perfectly,
Starting point is 00:08:11 as if awaiting an important adult visitor. He took toad straight by. He wasn't allowed to nest around in there. He patted through the dining room next with its oval teak table for sex. Like the living room, this wasn't a place for kids. The dining room was only used for parties and special occasions. He rounded the corner into the kitchen where he could always make himself at home. The blinds were up and the sun was streaming brightly through the window.
Starting point is 00:09:00 It created a happy yellow square in the middle of the yellow and browned thenolium floor. Despite the dark oak cabinets, the room felt bright. The merry-gold countertops and gold-colored refrigerator seemed to echo the sun's cheerful mood. And what was there not to be cheerful about? He had this entire glorious day of summer vacation stretching ahead of him. The neighborhood was waiting. Pulling open the cupboard. He surveyed his breakfast options.
Starting point is 00:09:42 Open the cupboard. He surveyed his breakfast options. Without his mom there to give him the eye, he could happily dive into a bowl or two of the puff corn cereal. However, a toaster pastry was what really sounded good at the moment. He pulled the box down and opened it. Terring opened one of the fat foil packets inside and extracting a delicious looking pink frosted rectangle. angle. Sliding it into the silver toaster on the counter, he pushed the lever down. Then he fetched himself a plate and a large glass out of another cabinet. The glass was one he'd gotten as a prize from a local fast food restaurant.
Starting point is 00:10:48 He had saved the tabs from the kids' mills for weeks in order to earn it. He opened the fridge and grabbed a carton of milk from the door. His mom was very firm about the fact that he and dad should never drink straight from the carton. He very consciously poured his milk into the glass, feeling like a good rule follower. While he waited for the toaster pastry to finish, he sipped his milk, savoring its cold creaminess. He read the note that had been left on the counter. It said, Fridge for lunch, stay in the neighborhood. Call me later. Love, mom.
Starting point is 00:11:50 On top of the note was a dollar bill. He knew that was so he could buy a treat later. He grand in stuffed the dollar into the pocket of his shorts. the dollar into the pocket of his shorts. The toaster popped up with a spring noise and Brian lightly gripped the hot pastry with two fingers and dropped it onto his plate. Then, taking his milk, he carefully walked into the family room, where food was allowed. He was always eating snacks in there after school. Sometimes his parents would even let him have a frozen dinner in the family room, when network specials were on. Of course, he had to be careful not to spill.
Starting point is 00:12:51 Flipping on the TV, he turned the doubt to his favorite game show. People were being chosen from the audience to participate. And they were very excited. audience to participate and they were very excited. As the Edus breakfast in large bites, he thought about how he liked to go to California some time and see if he could get picked from the audience on a game show. He always knew the answers better than the people on TV, anyway. As soon as he was done, he switched off the TV and returned to the kitchen to put his dishes in the sink.
Starting point is 00:13:40 He opened a tall cabinet by the window that his mom used for storing the step-stool and tall things like mops and brooms. Inside, there was a house key hanging on a long string. He grabbed the key and looped it over his head, letting it fall on his chest. Leaving the kitchen behind, he shuffled into the entryway of the house where his sneakers were sitting by the door. He sat on the cool towels and pulled open their velcro closures, sliding them easily onto
Starting point is 00:14:28 his feet. He was ready to roll. Setting the front door to lock behind them, Brian pushed past the screen door and walked out onto the front porch. The summer air was heavy with rising humidity and the lazy chorus of insects. Already the sun was blazing over his suburban street. He stepped off the shady front stoop and walked over to where he dumped his BMX bike in the grass last night, feeling the full force of the sunshine hitting his shoulders. His father was very insistent about him not leaving the bike in the driveway. Dad said he was liable to run over it
Starting point is 00:15:26 with the station wagon. Brian lifted up his bike and slung his leg over it, pushing gently off the semen driveway with both feet, lifting them clearly off the ground. He coasted down to the strait, smoothly turning to the left. His bike slowed down gradually as the incline increased, and he put his feet on the pedals to generate some fresh speed. How's this slowly moved by, on either sign of him in shades of brown,
Starting point is 00:16:11 tan, yellow and white? Most of the grownups were at work, but a neighbor could be seen here and there walking to the tall mailbox at the curb. We're setting up a sprinkler. Brian stood up on the pedals and pumped them to go even faster. Whipping around the corner, he coasted downward again, smiling with delight as he felt the wind pick up. Then another upward incline slowed his pace.
Starting point is 00:16:53 By the time he had reached his friend Eric's house, he was able to turn expertly into the driveway as he had a hundred times before and dropped his bike in the grass almost while it was still moving. Walking up to the front door, Brian rang the doorbell and waited. It was only moments before the sound of running feet thundered inside, and Eric pulled open the door with a wide grin. As if by tacit agreement, both boys plunged back off the porch, Brian reclaiming his bank, and Eric disappearing into the open garage. He reappeared shortly, pushing his battered bicycle, and the two boys were rolling down the
Starting point is 00:17:59 driveway together before they exchanged a single word. Jason said, who met us at the creek, Eric said over his shoulder, bracing a hand. He was making for the dead end. Beyond it lay a tangled woodland with an enticing, muddy stream. The boys had some secret projects planned. The branches hung low over their heads, and the trail was not well-cleared,
Starting point is 00:18:39 which was partly why the boys liked it. Most neighborhood kids knew about this route to the stream. Apparently, why the boys liked it. Most neighborhood kids knew about this route to the stream. Discarded items like soda tabs and empty plastic ice pops leave showed it. Still, it seemed like adults never came here, and you could leave a project in progress. Like a room swing, it was always there when you came back. Brian and Eric reached their destination quickly. It was a clearing with a large tree that hung over a small, bubbling stream.
Starting point is 00:19:29 The trampling feet of various kids over the years had created an area of packed dirt. Someone had brought an old tire they liked to sit on. And one enterprising person had nailed a few boards up to the trunk of the tree, so you could easily get up to the lowest branch and sit there. It was the perfect hideout. Jason was standing on two rocks, straddling the stream. He was constructing a small dam using debris, and stones he found nearby.
Starting point is 00:20:15 He announced that he was planning to create a pond and stop the water from flowing. Why he wanted to do this was unclear, order from flowing. Why he wanted to do this was unclear, but the other boys threw themselves into the task, combing the surrounding area for more materials. They worked at this for what seemed like a long time, but as the lunch hour approached, their dam was still
Starting point is 00:20:47 not working very well. Jason examined their handy work with his hands on his hips. The water pooling around his slip on sneakers. Then, without a word, he kicked the dam and laughed. It was as if the boys were all thinking the same thing. In seconds, they had delightedly pushed the dam down, and the water of the stream curgled merrily on its way, just as it had done before. Brian sat on the discarded tire while Eric hung on the rope swing. He hiked his legs up above him and hung his head, slowly twisting himself up and then spinning as it unwelmed. A hot breeze rustled through the trees, but the boys were protected from the blazing
Starting point is 00:21:59 sun, mother thick foliage overhead. It seemed as if the birds and insects were having a quiet nap to wait out the heat of the day. The woods were nearly silent. Jason picked his way along the rocks in the stream, balancing with his arms wide. the rocks in the stream, balancing with his arms wide. The trio stayed like that for a while, just soaking up the magnificence of the empty summer day. When they had meditated on the glory of solitude long enough, Brian said, let's go to Miles for lunch. In immediate agreement, Eric dropped his rope swing and Jason hopped off the rocks. Leaving their damn project behind, they guided their bikes back along the rocky trail through the tall grass and
Starting point is 00:23:08 re-emerged in civilization at the top of Eric Street. They were soon peddling again, relishing the feeling of the wind in their faces after their morning in the stillness of their woodsie hideout. Brian's exact through the empty street making slow triangles from one driveway to the Left. Right. Left. Right. His friends fell in formation behind him, and they moved together in a swooping pendulum toward his house. The warm fat tires of his bike made a soothingly rhythmic sound as they bumped over the cracks
Starting point is 00:24:09 in the pavement. Swish. Clunk. Swish. Clunk. He imagined he was flowing through a maze in a pinball machine. They reached his driveway and dropped their bikes off unsurimoniously right in the middle. No adults would be coming home before they left again.
Starting point is 00:24:40 Pulling his key from around his neck, Brian unlocked the front door. The boys tumbled into the dark coonness of his air condition front hallway. They thought to kick their shoes off, but left them scattered all over the floor, much as the bikes had landed outside. Brian scuffed his socks across the bumpiness of the kitchen linoleum and pulled open the fridge. Belonio or peanut butter, he asked his friends. They all chose Belonio, so we found a package along with the jar of mayonnaise. Pulling a plastic bag of white bread off the top of the fridge. He laid the sandwiching greedy and sour on the counter.
Starting point is 00:25:49 While his friends made themselves sandwiches, he returned to the refrigerator and got three foil juice packs with straws. He handed each of his friends a lemonade and then turned to making his own lunch. Laying two fat slices of bread on a large plate, he dipped the knife into the mouth of the man-aged jar, and then smoothly spread the creamy white goodness across each piece. Then, prying open the round bubble of the baloney container. He teased out several generous pieces, alternating them with slices of American cheese,
Starting point is 00:26:43 freshly liberated from their plastic sleeves. With the satisfied smile, he closed the sandwich and then cut it into triangles. All three boys took their sandwiches into the family room and sat down in front of the TV. What are we playing? Ryan asked. A negotiation ensued. Jason wanted to play one game, but Eric objected.
Starting point is 00:27:27 He said that it was too easy to keep accumulating lives, and they never finished the game. Brian had to agree. Instead, he suggested an alternative. All three boys were okay with that one, so Brian pushed the cartridge into the console and scooted back on the carpet, handing the second joystick to Jason. Since only two players were allowed at a time. Eric settled into focus when devouring his sandwich. Jason was player one. He began expertly returning the little soaring duck to the rainbow line of bricks above. At the surly stage of the game, the ball moved very slowly, like a drifting cream puff.
Starting point is 00:28:31 The boys knew it would get harder to keep up with the perfect performance as the game advanced. First the yellow row, then orange, then green, then red. Jason chipped away at the wall of color. Finally, after his ball broke through the red level, the paddle shrank in size and the speed picked up. He missed the ball a few times and it was Brian's turn. Brian was just as good at the game
Starting point is 00:29:19 since he was the one who had a console at home. In the end, he won and gave the joystick to Eric, who was now patiently waiting in front of his empty plate. After they attired of wielding their digital paddles, the boys moved on to a different game. This one happened to be Eric's favorite. He enjoyed the mesmerizing march of the Dalie-Low aliens across the screen. The Picasso's sound effects were oddly soothing, and the appearance of the purple spaceship provided just enough energy to keep the game interesting. All three boys played well, and the game continued for some time. Finally, the lunch break seemed to reach its natural end, and the boys grew antsy to get
Starting point is 00:30:23 back out into the neighborhood. It was a perfect time of day to catch friends that play in the street, and they didn't want to miss anything good. Locking the door behind him, Brian found his friends to their waiting bikes. The sun was at its highest in the sky now. If he looked down the length of the street, he could see just the hint of a shimmer from the heat. He gave his bike a rolling start and then op-dorn. His bike rolling start and then opt on. Following Jason and Eric as they coasted down to the bottom of the street, ratioed to the playground, Eric said,
Starting point is 00:31:19 and all three boys peddled in the direction of the school yard. There was something liberating about soaring on to the school grounds with no adults to tell them to slow down or walk their bikes. They circled around the asphalt basketball court and then dropped their bicycles in the dirt. Jason and Eric headed straight for the tether ball pole. Brian took a seat on one of the swings and began to pump his legs back and forth. Back and forth.
Starting point is 00:32:04 He was soon swinging so high that the chains of the swing Back and forth. He was soon swinging so high that the chains of the swing would slacken a bit and then he'd swoop back down. The wind rushed against this face and then the back of his neck. He tried to see over the top of the school fence into the neighbor's yards, leaning into the motion. He closed his eyes and experienced a soothing, rocking sensation. Each swing was punctuated by the thunk of the tether ball. His friends were hitting back and forth nearby. He slowed his swing until he had almost stopped and then finished the job by dragging his velcro sneakers through
Starting point is 00:33:01 the dirt. Sliding out of the black seat of the swing, he strode over to the monkey bars and hoisted himself up. When he was smaller, it had been hard to pull himself all the way across, but it was no problem now. He felt very grown up when he breathed down the row of silver bars and hopped to the ground. The tether ball game was slowing down and Brian realized he was warm and thirsty after his playground exertions. Let's go get a drink at the quick shop he suggested.
Starting point is 00:33:57 His friends gladly agreed and they left the playground behind to ride the short distance to the nearby convenience store. They didn't bother to lock up their bikes. After all, this was still just the edge of their housing tract. Pushing open the swinging door of the store, they felt a wall of We'll shed them from inside. It felt so good to get out of the sun. Brian stuck his hand in his pocket and checked for his dollar bill. It was still there. Jason went straight for the soda fountain to cajumbo cop and started filling it. He stopped at each and every type of soda and put some in his cop, making a huge sugary
Starting point is 00:34:59 mixture. Eric thought that these mixodas tasted gross, but Jason just shrugged. Whether an added tasty good was not the point, the point was, he could do it if he wanted to. Brian walked the length of the cooler, surveying the canned drinks. He was split between an orange soda and a grape soda, but eventually landed on the grape. Meanwhile, Jason grabbed a strawberry milk. The boys walked the tantalizing snack out to the front, gazing at the packaged cakes and salty chips. On impulse, Brian picked up a packet of popping sugar
Starting point is 00:35:59 candy. He would still have enough money after paying for his grape soda. Each boy handed his cash to the teenager tending the register and then headed back outside to open his drink. They settled the curb in front of the empty parking spaces. Jason drank reflectively from his straw, consuming at least seven kinds of soda in one sip. Brian pulled the tab off his grape soda, and then studied the popping candy he bought. Are you going to eat them with a mouthful of soda, Eric asked?
Starting point is 00:36:47 Brian regarded Eric as a sift on his busy purple drink. It tasted unbelievably refreshing in the summer sun. Tiny bubbles fizzed cheerfully all the way down his throat. Maybe next time, Brian responded. He uttered stories about people eating this candy with soda. And truth, he wasn't anxious to try it. He grinned, tearing the top off the packet and holding it out. Each boy put his hand forward and then tossed his share of the candy into his mouth and enjoyed the crackling, popping sensation.
Starting point is 00:37:45 It was like swallowing candy that glittered. The boys brushed their hands off and stood up to retrieve their mics. Jason's plan was to make a wide circle around the neighborhood and see if any other kids were out. As the trio sailed on to the street, they passed some other boys from their class who were rolling into the quickshop. A chorus of hellos were exchanged, but nobody slowed down. Brian coasted down a gin to incline, focusing on the
Starting point is 00:38:31 side of Eric's tube socks and sneakers in front of him. There was a route they liked to ride that would take them on a circuit around the outer streets of the housing development. The boys flew past one side street where some younger kids were out playing four square. Their moms were seated in lawn chairs nearby with their feet soaking in a baby pool. Pumping their petals harder, the boys summited the next little hill. Off to the right, they could see a couple of girls from their class lying in the front yard of a house. Each girl had a magazine she was reading. Next to them, a cassette player was playing the mix tape. Their
Starting point is 00:39:29 banana seed bikes were parked neatly in the driveway, all leaning in the same direction on their kickstands. The boys slow down and raise their hands and casual greeting. Each in turn they stopped their bikes, standing non-committally. They weren't sure if it was worth their time to slow down and talk to Heather and Michelle. What are you guys doing, Heather Agsd, peering over her plastic sunglasses? All the boys shrugged, looking at each other. They were doing everything, of course, and nothing. The second girl rode over and sat up, setting her magazine aside.
Starting point is 00:40:31 One of Popsicle, she asked, at this, every boy became animated. Michelle got up from her towel and walked to the house, entering through the glass-sliding door in the back. While she was gone, the kids exchanged summer news. Who was that camp? Who got in the above-ground pool? Who was moving away. Eric shared a funny story about how he'd run into their
Starting point is 00:41:08 old second-grade teacher at the supermarket. The kids all laughed. For some reason, it was very weird for any of them to see a teacher outside of school. Michelle returned from the house carrying the promised box of popsicles. She explained that these were the double kind, so they'd have to split them. Pulling out three packets in the box, she opened each one in turn, popping the white packet apart, and shaking out the frozen treat inside. Then she broke the macspreadly in half, handing a red one to Eric, and then Jason. They started eating right away as the syrup from the popsicle dripped down their fingers and they ate.
Starting point is 00:42:11 Michelle then gave an orange one to Brian and Heather. Lastly, she opened a purple one for herself, asking who wanted the extra other half. Having just finished his red popsicle in a few big bites, Eric gladly accepted. The kid's life as he dropped his old popsicle stick in the box. Then, they all sat together on the grass, slowly working their way around the popsicles, so that their hands wouldn't get sticky. It was nearly impossible not to get any on their faces. Everyone accepted this as a hazard of summer living. When all the sticks were in the box, they went over one by one and darted under the nearby sprinkler. Spraying
Starting point is 00:43:18 themselves as they tried to rinse their hands in the moving shower of water. Back and forth the sprinkler went, so predictable, yet so difficult to outwit. By the time their hands were clean, most of them had gotten their clothes a little wet. But that was part of doing some right after all. After shaking the water from their hands, they all laid back in the grass for a minute and watched the clouds. Pointing out shapes in the sky, here they saw a car, there, a dog. Everyone laughed when Brian saw what he claimed was a slice of pizza. A discussion followed about favorite pizza toppings and whether pineapple should be included. The group was divided on this point. Side A of the mix tape ended and Heather popped it out and flipped it over. Somehow, this created the nature will break the boys were waiting for.
Starting point is 00:44:52 In fact, Brian realized that soon, he would have to call home and check in with his mom, who'd be returning from work any time. Waving goodbye, the boys made their accent. Determined to finish at least one loop around the neighborhood, they peddled hard. It was as if they felt the afternoon waning and wanted to squeeze every last drop out of it. Eventually, they found themselves at Eric's house.
Starting point is 00:45:35 They pushed open the front door, once again grateful for the chilled air against their faces. They stumbled out of their shoes, a little clumsy after a full day of bike riding, damn building and playground games. Eric's mom greeted them with a smile and asked where they'd been today. No where, everywhere, they shrugged in Yumaison. Brian asked if he could call his mom. He knew the phone was hanging on the wall in the kitchen. Padding across the brown carpet of the family room, he rounded the corner and picked up the receiver of the home and colored foam, punching the seven buttons of his home number. While it was ringing, Eric came into the kitchen and whispered, ask your mom if you can stay for dinner.
Starting point is 00:46:47 We're having spaghetti. Brian Grand entrusted his fingers in the pleasantly stretchy coils of the phone cord. Spaghetti was his favorite. Jason couldn't stay. He promised his mommy be home on the early side, so he made his exit. As he hopped down the front steps, both Brian and Eric waived at him through the screen door. They knew they would meet up again tomorrow. Brian and Eric went back into the family room and Eric switched on the TV. He was one of the first kids in the neighborhood to have cable.
Starting point is 00:47:36 Watching music videos was a must. They helped themselves to a glass of water. They helped them to to a glass of milk from the refrigerator and watched TV while they relaxed. By the time Diner and Dessert had been eaten, the street lights were coming on. Brian knew his mom was expecting him home a little after dusk, so it was time to head out. Thinking your experience for having him,
Starting point is 00:48:22 he pulled his Velcro sneakers on for a final time that day. Then he pushed into the warm and humid evening outside, waving to Eric as the door closed behind him. With the own set of twilight, the crickets had come alive. They were singing all around, creating an intense feeling that summer was at its peak. Brian picked up his bike from the grass next to the driveway and pushed it slowly down the driveway,
Starting point is 00:49:08 hopping on as a gain momentum. Turning toward his own house, he zigzag left and right again, trying to touch the sidewalk under each street light, as if he were once again bouncing through a pinball machine. At the top of his own street, he slowed down and throughout the last leg of his ride as long as he could. Looking at the lawns on his right, he saw a tiny pin prick of light appear and disappear. Then another, then another. The lightning bugs were out. He always considered it a true sign of a proper summer night
Starting point is 00:50:03 when they made their appearance. Then, where only two or three lightning bugs had been, it suddenly seemed like there were tens or even hundreds. They went and glowed in all the yards on his street as he approached home. The lightning bugs were giving him an idea. Maybe tomorrow, Brian thought, he could get his mom to agree to let him stay out after dark. He would really like to organize a game of flashlight tag.
Starting point is 00:50:47 Then, happy, tired, full of treats, a little dirty, and a little lost and thought. Brian rode up the driveway. He parked his trusty bike in the grass, whispered a quiet good night, and disappeared inside ... ... ... you ... ... ... ... … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing. I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing. I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing. I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing. I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing. ... ... you I'm going to go back to the next room. I'm going to go back to the next room. I'm going to go back to the next room.
Starting point is 00:55:47 I'm going to go back to the next room. I'm going to go back to the next room. I'm going to go back to the next room. I'm going to go back to the next room. I'm going to go back to the next room. I'm going to go back to the next room. I'm going to go back to the next room. I'm going to go back to the next room.
Starting point is 00:55:58 I'm going to go back to the next room. I'm going to go back to the next room. I'm going to go back to the next room. I'm going to go back to the next room. I'm going to go back to the next room. I'm going to go back to the next room. I'm going to go back to the next room. I'm going to go back to the next room. I'm going to go back to the next room. I'm going to go back to the next room. I'm going to go back to the next room. ... ... ... ... ... you

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