Excerpt: Of Horn and Ivory

In my mind’s eye, those days glitter with the kind of joy that can only be found in the truly innocent. Happiness was the warmth of the sun on my upturned face and the tang of salt in the air. I stretched my arms and legs out wide, soaring through the air with never a thought of falling. Without knowing the word, I understood trust like only a little girl protected by her father could understand. I had the best seat in the house, strapped in to my plastic seat on the back of my father’s bicycle. From that vantage point I watched the sand pipers scurry, playing cat and mouse with the waves that crashed upon the shore. I bounced along in my seat as we rode over the water logged planks of the boardwalk, jostled so much at times that my teeth would chatter. I let out a long, low note, listening to the natural vibrato brought forth by the uneven path. Dad swerved left and right, causing me to giggle with glee. This was our time. This was when I felt love.