The Hay Ride from Different Perspectives, Four Other Views

My Dear Chronicler,

I recall this Fall sojourn at least once each fortnight. Three trucks of questionable origin and condition. Hay bales stacked two high on the perimeter and a depth of one for our ''floor.'' The purpose was to ''make-out'' on the cool and cozy return from Catoctin State Park.

We all gathered beneath the Koontz Creamery Sign that acted as the Sphinx of Druid Park Circle (Reisterstown parted from Park Heights). The inchoate, at that time, was the relentless question/statement : "For the Carriage Trade". I later understood the play on ''carriage trade'' while reading the ill fated tale of Daisy Buchanan at the whim of Jay Gatsby.

The day was filled with scenes and activities out of "Picnic" & "Our Town" with a touch of "Oklahoma". Food appeared. From whence I do not know. (Ask Ken W.) There was innocent and naive frolicking. Games involving balls, birdies, nets and imagination.CONFESSION: I could not take my gaze from a watermelon cooling in one of the many streams and brooks. For reasons that remain with Oedipus and my analyst, I grabbed this unattended emerald beauty that promised juicy joy ''red to the rind", lifted it skyward as if possessed by the twin spirits of Elmer Gantry and King Kong. Smashed it on one of the rocks that had nestled it. When the owner raced over, I strangely felt no fear. I admitted my wrong, but could offer not a wink of reason. He saw something in my posture or gaze; in a clear modulated voice he thought I should pay its monetary worth. The dollar was rumpled and the quarter shiny as I extracted them fom my dungarees--BL--before Levi's.

I walked back to Phyllis who was out of view.

L'chiam, Be Well, Do Good,

Arthur

ps Camp David, named after Eisenhower's son, shredded the once languorous pastoral of Catoctin

I'm pretty sure it was 1957 and Arthur reminisces seem strangely familiar-- like dusting off and opening a long-ago forgotten book that was important to you as a very young man-in-training.

I don't remember the watermelon, nor Arthur's Elmer Gantry cum King Kong, but I surely would have loved to have seen that (Elmer Gantry was one of my favorite books, along with Arrowsmith-- I guess Sinclair Lewis really had my number).

Anyway, I was preoccupied on that hay ride because I think it was when I first met Sharon and a girl named Jane, whose last name escapes me (help anyone?), but who was very nice. So I went home thinking about them both. Thanks for dusting off that book,

Ken

I remember the hayrides and can even picture being on one of them. I think I was with a woman (girl) named Rochelle, but can't recall any other details. I remember it being an all day sort of thing out in the beautiful Maryland countryside.

Joel

Wonderful memories, guys. The one visual memory that comes to mind was lyingcomfortably in the hay and gazing up at Arthur's date Sue, I believe was her name, though I may very well be mistaken. Anyway, I was entirely entrancedby her nubile physical charms. Embarrassingly, I can't remember who my own date was.

Another thing: We sang a lot. Thanks for tugging my memory strings.

Mark