Summer evenings

Samuel Barber: “Knoxville, Summer of 1915”

Those were the years before television and air conditioning.

In summer time, we would have supper in the garden where the evening breeze made the hottest days tolerable.  There would always be a few cold dishes, such as fresh tofu drizzled with soy sauce and sesame oil or cucumber salad.  After enjoying watermelons and other seasonal fruits, we would take a long walk with mom and dad.

There was an old aqueduct near our house.  A major thoroughfare ran along its two sides.  Large willows on the banks formed a canopy over the water.  A tea shack stood under the trees at the intersection.  Its store front opened to the street.  Awnings extended out toward the water in the back.  From time to time we would stop by there during our evening walks.

Other times we walked the other direction toward National Taiwan Normal University.  Near the front gate, there was a fountain with sleeping lilies of various colors.  Mom would let us sit by it to cool off.  On the other side of the road, there were grassy grounds and shrubs.  We sat at the benches watching other people strolling by. Children like us ran around playing games.

We learned to roller skate there.  My brother was a natural.  I, on the other hand, never quite found the balance.  He was also better with flying kites. . . Mine would always dropped down to the ground.

When the fireflies were out, we would gently cup our hands when they touched down on the grass.  We could see their little lights shining through our fingers.  If we remembered to bring a jar, we would bring a few of them home.  Mom or dad must have released them out to the garden after we went to bed.  They were always gone in the morning.

Those were the years when families shared their evenings together.  Those were the years when street lights were not as bright as now.  Those were the years when stars crowded the nightly sky.