The coastland times with which is combined the pilot and herald of Belhaven and Swan Quarter. [volume] (Manteo, N.C.) 1959-1973, 1959-07-10
@ IL M P S E S
TIL E P A S 7
By CAROLYN LLOYD

S hhoS4uAVocS cNiueHIly IOEBOC
, to consult the calendar this year.
Psychologists" may advance some
more scientific theory, but 1 am
convinced that the mosquitoes just
didn't know that it was. the Fourth
of July; otherwise they would
surley have been here. Earlier in
the week l had assured my young
niece that though we had not
been greatly bothered by the
pests SO far this summer, / felt
sure that her old enemies would
come to town as soon as they
heard of her arrival. Their COM
munications system has evidently
broken down, for which we give
thanks.
My two nephews and my niece
have become convinced that the
annual Fourth of July celebration
is put on in Belhaven for their
special benefit, and they would
consider it great tragedy not to
be present. When they were
younger, they thought that the
river was my property. This year
they are disturbed because 1 didn't
arrange for warmer weather SO
they could enjoy the river more
fully. These Fourth of July visits
will always, l hope, be bright
spots in their memories. Pity the
children who never see a parade
and share the excitement of an
all-out celebration on that day.
The years are kind to memories
so perhaps my children will for
get the times their aunt yelled at
them to close the door, turn down
the television, pick up their wet
bathing suits and towels, stop us
ing the sugar spoon to stir the
tea, etc., etc., and remember only
the bands playing and the flags
flying. l hope, too, that they will
remember what all the excitement
was about, for real stirring patri-
itism is becoming too rare.
The oldest boy came to Belha-
ven for his first visit when he
was six months old and the family
has never missed a summer visit
since. These children will have
memories that l do not have, for
when was quite young, we moved
too far away from all our rela-
tives for visits to be practical.
My aunts, no doubt, were just as
glad, since there were four chill
dren in our family and the aunts
had none. 1t does make a differ
ence, so l can only hope that my
readers will be charitable and re-
alize that l am in no state to
write anything that makes much
sense. At present my little visi-
tors are at the Community Center
spending more money in one af-
ternoon that their mother and 1
had to spend in whole month
when We were. young. Because it
is too cool to go swimming, they
demand that their outraged feel
ings be assuaged with soda pop,
ice cream, games that cost dime,
and anything else that costs mon
ey. They will then return home
for supper and the one thing that
l don't have on the table will be
the thing that they want. There
will be slight argument over
who sits in what chair, who got
the biggest saucer of ice cream,
and who gets to sit up the latest.
Finally, the youngest, not quite
five, will fall asleep from pure
exhaustion, clutching a dirty string
about a foot long which is all that
remains of his baby blanket. Sew
eral television programs later, the
two older ones will go reluctantly
to bed, begging permission to
play the radio and read for just
little while. AS their mother
and l finally settle down for a
chat, l will spy several sugar
pops under the sofa or a blob of
chocolate on the rug. At the mo-
nent won't care.
All of this is nothing unusual,
1 am told, but it can be a little
unsettling for one whose expert
ence with the younger generations
is, for the greater part of the
year, with those of high school
age. Love is a powerful thing,
though, and so I gladly take my
chances on a nervous break down
each year so that they may have
memories of what life is like in a
small town in summer. Perhaps
they will always remember that
loved them, even if l wouldn't
allow bubble gum stuck on the ia
BILE during meals.