Small Town Life

I grew up in Brownsburg Indiana, a small town outside of Indianapolis. It was the typical suburb. Our neighborhood was the one where all the homes looked basically the same and almost everyone had toys and or bicycles in the yard. We would play with the neighborhood kids for hours and hang out on front porches. A regular summer day would include at least one trip the the "corner" drug store downtown and then just a little further to the town park.
As I grew older my bike rides would get longer. I remember speeding down the hill on Tilden past what had been the cement plant then around the back roads all the way to the park off 21st St, where the church would have Sunday Picnics.
My biggest ride that I remember growing up, was one that I took to see my brother. I rode from home to his house outside of Plainfield. It was a little more than  10 miles.  Our mother thought, it would be awfully hard but she let me "try", with the stipulation that I would be very careful. I don't remember how long it took me to make the ride. I remember thinking how hard it was.
I can only imagine what my parents would think of my adventure. My father Robert Standiford, would be tagging along taking pictures at every turn, just as he did during Band trips with school or the Little League pictures he took. My mother, Roberta Standiford, would be worrying while she was packing snacks and camping gear and bandages for me.  I know that they both would be waiting at the end of the ride and busting with pride, if they were still alive. But I know for certain both of them will be watching over me throughout my journey.