In the small Kentucky town where I grew up, we could walk almost anywhere we needed to go: the library, the five-and-dime store Coke machines, the cemetery — where we would walk some more.
My upbringing was simple; in part, because my parents did not spend money on nonessential things, but also because there wasn’t much to do in Versailles — other than walk. So that’s how we spent our summers.
During our long strolls through town, we made many discoveries. But the best, by far, was when my dad and I found an unopened box of 24 frozen, full-sized Snickers bars in the middle of a quiet, hot street.
And thus began our summer of Snickers bars. We kept them in the freezer; and on the hottest days, our parents would give one to each of us three kids. It was a rare indulgence — one that I clearly won’t soon forget.