Trying to make the best of fall’s remaining days

In the fall of 1977 I was just a grade school kid growing up in Inlet. It was October 14 and the leaves, like the daily temperatures, continued to drop.

The voice of Debby Boone singing, “You Light Up My Life,” streamed from the radio as I sat at the breakfast table.

I swung my feet to the slow beat as I munched on Wheat Chex and dipped my peanut butter toast in my orange juice.

I was thinking good thoughts of my approaching day at school.

I didn’t care much for the idea of wearing my winter coat, but the weather dictated more protection than my windbreaker could provide.

My dog Mutt watched as I went out the door to meet the bus, understanding that I would be back to play in a few hours.

Once at school, the other boys and I discussed the World Series with the Yankees vs the Dodgers.

The third game was scheduled for that night and the series was tied, 1-1.

I didn’t care who won, as long as it was not the Yankees!

The day progressed with in-class assignments.

I was happy when it ended and I was back on the bus headed for home-ready to explore the woods around the house.

It was that time of year when the sun barely gave me enough time to enjoy the afternoon before it disappeared behind the mountains.

Mutt and I made the best of the time we had, hunting around some large rocks and playing tug-o-war with some sticks.

The air was so cold I could see my breath. Mutt and I were getting stiff from the chill and decided to go indoors.

My father was preparing some Hamburger Helper in the kitchen as my mother watched the news.

She was taking in a story about anti-gay activist Anita Bryant getting hit in the face with a pie.

After dinner we settled in to watch one of my mother’s favorite programs, the Rockford Files.

When the show was over we switched to the World Series. Linda Ronstadt was singing the national anthem, so we didn’t miss a thing.

I wrapped myself in a blanket to ward off the late fall chill and faded in and out of sleep throughout the ball game.

Unfortunately, the Yankees took game three, beating the Dodgers 5-3.

I absorbed a lot of information about what was going on in the outside world as I grew up on Limekiln Lake.

However, at that time I was more concerned with such issues as when the ice would begin forming on the lake, or when the snow would start falling and stick for good.

Mitch Lee, Adirondack native & storyteller, lives at Big Moose Lake.ltmitch3rdny@aol.com