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Sid and Angela
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Chapter 1
A Saturday Morning Journey
“I’m bored silly,” Sid announced, “summers here and I don’t
have a thing to do… Angela shot Sid a big-sister-look that would
melt an iceberg in Alaska. It was Friday night dinner with Sid
and Angela’s family (the Simpson’s) seated around the dining
room table talking about what they had seen and done during the
day. Little Sid, considered small for his age, was in the
third grade now and with summer here, was thinking more about
exploring the new neighborhood than anything else.
Grandma J was a welcomed guest at the Friday night family
gathering and had walked over earlier to help her daughter (Sid
and Angela’s Mom) prepare dinner.
Even though they had visited Grandma J several times over the
years, their recent move to Ormond Beach from Connecticut
brought them much closer together. Angela, very pretty and
mature for her age, a few years older than Sid, was looking
forward to attending classes at The Casements “Summer Art
Program”.
Grandma J, who lived in Ormond Beach along Riverside Drive
for many, many years, made arrangements for both grandchildren
to attend summer classes at The Casements, even though Sid
wasn’t too thrilled with the scheduled chess class. How
exciting can that be for a nine-year old boy, Sid wondered?
Angela was especially interested in the Florida History Art
class The Casements was having this summer and was really
excited about visiting several sites within walking distance of
The Casements for their art assignments. Grandma J had
mentioned that this program was very successful in previous
years and that she had helped inspire it because her friend Miss
Mary taught the art classes.
Both Sid and Angela were looking forward to the planned
family trip to the Daytona Beach museum next weekend to explore
the museum galleries and the site where the great Florida Ground
Sloth was discovered. The actual site where the sloth was
carefully dug up (excavated) was just a few miles from the
museum and it later became a permanent exhibit at the museum.
“One day I want to explore the original site,” Angela told
everyone, “because I might work at the museum some day,” she
added.
“You – work,” Sid interrupted without concern for Angela’s
feelings, “that’ll be the day,” he said as he became very aware
of everyone looking in his direction with a stern look.
As Sid slumped down into his chair, slightly embarrassed,
Angela shot him a “big sister” look that sealed his fate; Sid
had spoken unkindly about his sister and would surely pay a
price for the remainder of the evening.
Angela didn’t have to say a word; Sid had been rude and she
would remind him about it for the rest of the evening; maybe
even have him apologize before they settled in for bed.
“That would be wonderful Angela,” Grandma J quickly answered,
“then we could all learn more about our pre-history, ancestors
and how Ormond was settled.”
As the conversation drifted from topic-to-topic, Mrs. Simpson
mentioned that she made reservations on the Ormond Beach Trolley
Tour for Saturday morning.
Mom went on to say, “I talked to Mr. Carlson, the trolley
guide, and he said there would be several kids on board from the
neighborhood because they belong to the Ormond Kids Club he
started last summer.”
Grandma J was coming along, and they would see first hand
many of the historic sites right here in their own neighborhood.
This announcement got everyone’s attention as family discussions
centered on how much fun this new adventure would be.
Mr. Simpson announced that he had some repairs to make around
the house Saturday morning and wouldn't be with the family on
the trolley tour. "I do want to hear about everything you see,”
Dad said, as he looked around the table making sure everyone
heard him above the family chatter.
"Have you been on the trolley tour before," Sid asked Grandma
J quizzically.
"Certainly have, many times," Grandma J replied, "and it’s
always a pleasure to see the historical places I grew up with,
right here in Ormond Beach."
"Is it really an old fashioned trolley?" Angela asked without
looking up,
Grandma J smiled as she whispered to Angela, "No dreary -
it's a modern bus made to look like an old fashioned trolley."
"It won't be long before you think it is just like the original
one's, after peering out from the old-fashioned windows," she
added with a knowing smile.
"I think they even left the springs out of the seat cushions
for added realism," she added as her daughter tapped her water
glass with a spoon, getting everyone's attention.
"Anybody ready for desert, there's a fresh baked apple pie
still in the oven keeping warm and some vanilla ice cream for
the top?" Mom said with a wink and fond glimmer in her eyes.
"I am..." Sid
said excitedly as Mom turned and headed towards the kitchen.
"Anyone else
ready," she said as she rounded the corner into the kitchen,
knowing that everyone had saved a little room for Grandma J's
famous apple pie - it has become a tradition for Friday night
family dinner, you know....
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