The city of Aiken has held a summer concert series for over 40 years. But either because of our aging population or summers were cooler back in the day, this year instead of not startling until the beginning of June, they started in April to beat the heat. Donna and I used to go often when we first moved to town almost 30 years ago, but either because of our aging or summers were really cooler back then, our attendance had fallen off to zero six or eight years ago.
Today Donna suggested we go out to eat dinner at my favorite restaurant in town, Mellow Mushroom, and if we walked to dinner I could drink a couple of ice cold beers with it. It is 2-1/2 mile walk one-way, but almost all of it is on the dirt roads of the horse district and nice quiet neighborhood streets.The rest of the walk is in downtown Aiken, but by the time we get there, most everyone has gone home and there is restaurant traffic, so it is a very pleasant walk. And with that kind of reward, I am usually ready to take a stroll.
As we left the Mellow Mushroom Donna innocently said, “Ooh, I think the Marine Corp Band is playing in the Hopelands concert tonight. If we walk back a different way, maybe we’ll be able to hear them.” Me, still none the wiser at this point, said”We are walking right by the park, maybe we should just take a few extra steps and cut through to really hear some.”
I wasn’t planning on going to a summer open-air concert tonight, but I think my wife was and she hook-winked into at least listening to a song or two with pizza and beer as the bait. Well played girl.