Edwin has been traipsing around town lately with small groups of friends. Saturday it was museums on the Mall, yesterday evening was sushi in City Center, and today it was fresh pasta and cold brew kombucha at Union Market. He and Maxine are planning an outing for Wednesday with two sisters their ages who are in town briefly before they head to their dad’s next State Department assignment in Tokyo.
“Maxine, do you think we should go to Georgetown, Union Market, or the National Art Gallery for affogato?” That’s a scoop of gelato in espresso or coffee for the uninitiated (I silently wondered whether they planned to look at any art).
“I don’t know, Edwin, but all of that sounds expensive.”
Needless to say, these outings are putting a strain on his bank account, but I don’t really mind because we transfer the bulk of his paychecks from his checking to his untouchable savings account. Though my budget at his age could only handle an occasional Pizza Hut personal pan pizza or a Roy Rogers roast beef sandwich and fries, I love that he knows his way around the city and is enjoying his hard-earned cash.
I expressed envy at his flurry of excursions and vowed to make the most of these last few days of freedom.
“Yeah, we’re trying to get out more before school starts and get used to being around more people again,” he explained.
How wise, I thought. And what better way to ease back into the hustle and bustle of the masses than with an affogato or a cold brew kombucha in hand?
My Corner of the Village 