this morning the season of summer ended at 11:44 am.

but for me it ended earlier.

even though i started school after labour day, the summer didn't end until the day i packed up the pool chairs. it was breezy and slightly chilly as i folded and stacked the brightly colored chairs that were scattered around the pool. they lay in a disconsolate heap, as if knowing they were going to be huddling miserably under a tarp for the next seven months. then i collected all the pool toys and put them in the large chest where we keep everything. i inhaled deeply and took in the summer scent of chlorine and sun tan lotion for the last time-and slammed the lid shut.

and that's when my summer ended.

when i was younger and i had a case of the winter blues, i used to go into the bathroom and open the bottle of suntan lotion, and like a genie's lamp, the summer memories used to come flooding back of sunshine and happy days. (gosh, i really hated school back then)