Warm weather always makes me nostalgic. Like most people, my summers are what I remember best from my childhood. It always seemed like the only time of the year when I had any control over myself and my time. In reality, of course, my sisters controlled my actions most of the time. I followed them everywhere and did whatever they wanted to do. It wasn’t exactly that I admired them exactly, but I did feel bigger and more important when I was with them.

Sometimes they took advantage of how willing I was. Kate, my sister closest in age, used to make me memorize things (number sequences, song lyrics, dance routines, dialogue sequences from movies, anything) and have me recite or perform them for her on command. I still remember most of them. For the most part, however, my sisters were content to just let me walk a step or two behind them while they embarked on whatever adventure they decided on that day.

Usually we walked along the creek behind our house, hopping from stone to stone and occasionally disappearing into the trees. We would find the biggest sticks we could and play hockey with pine cones. Once, a couple teenagers built a fort to smoke and drink in and accidentally burned it down. After that, my sisters and I always walked through the charred, ashy remains. I think it made all of us feel bigger and more important.