7.13.2011

land that i love

I'll always remember this past 4th of July.

It started out a little funky:

No swimming pool. No BBQ.

No Piccolo Petes in the driveway.


This year was special though because we met Neal.

Neal is 17 and has Down Syndome.

He fell in love with my dad's big white truck

before he even thought about falling in love with the rest of us.

But we became best friends the minute we invited him

to join us on the back of tailgate.

He played footsie with my mom after she

gave him her sweatshirt when it started to rain --

he looked adorable with that hood pulled up around his face

watching the fireworks boom across the sky.


He didn't want us to go.

After we said our final goodbyes

and slammed the truck door shut,

he opened it again and said,

"Just a second. See you tomorrow?"


God bless America and little country towns --

where life is contained and neighbors are friendly.

We will definitely be seeing Neal again.


Image found here.

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