by Maureen Hatch
In summer we three sisters loved to swim,
In the ocean, out to the barrels
and back.
In the pool, counting laps and
watching handsome Freddy Harlow
on the diving board.
Then a drive to Main Street, to
Gloria’s for goodies.
At home, we played clubhouse
under the lilac bush,
with me as big sister boss;
and rode bikes to the McCarthy’s
for volleyball and visits to
the playhouse.
Summer evenings could be nice, when
Mother invited lifeguards for cocktails, to
thank them for watching over us,
Or not so nice,
when Daddy added ice to too many
glasses of scotch.
In childhood summers we survived Daddy’s drinking
as the next day brought us back,
to the ocean and the pool –
to swimming.
And for me, the oldest,
to the hunt for handsome Freddy.
NYC born and bred, with childhood summers on the East End, Maureen Hatch is still a fan of summers—and the City and of membership in LP2.