Lemonade.

Yesterday I was feeling pretty bummed about Andy's birthday. I wanted to do something, even something small and seemingly insignificant. To celebrate. To remember. To embrace the love I have for my friend and find a smile for him on his special day.

I wanted to have cupcakes. I wanted to attach a copy of the birthday letter to some balloons and let them go from the top of Mt. Erie. I wanted to have a chat with his mom. I wanted those few minutes of you're still my very best of friends and it's your day and I am remembering and celebrating for you.

But Bryan was in a bad mood. And we were supposed to be going to a birthday cookout for the wife of a coworker. And we were running late. And I was so ready to just throw the broccoli salad I made across the room and drop to the floor in tears.

As we were getting the dog in the truck and finally leaving the house, I was feeling less and less like being at a cookout surrounded by people that I would have half-hearted conversations with in between spans of just stuffing my face because I really don't fit in well with any one there. In my mind, I was apologizing to Andy for not getting up earlier, for not being more prepared, for not making the time to celebrate with him. I knew cupcakes didn't really matter to him because he can't eat them anyway, but dammit I could enjoy one for him, right?

Then we turned the corner by the elementary school. Right there on the corner was a little boy with a lemonade and cupcake stand. My heart stopped for a minute. I love lemonade stands!

I made Bryan turn around while I searched the truck for cash. When I didn't find any cash, I dug out every bit of change I could find piled up from work. (I think it was somewhere around $3.)

I got two cups of raspberry lemonade and two cupcakes. Two confetti cupcakes with amazing vanilla frosting and sprinkles. Wrapped in plastic and tied off with little strips of colorful fabric. Absolutely amazing and delicious. And just what I needed at just the right time.

I wish I would have got a few more. They were good. I only bought $1 worth of stuff, so I gave him the rest of the change as a tip. I wonder if he's back out there today....