Category Archives: Fruit Orchards

“But, Mom, there’s no plaid!” i cried out as my mother showed me the clothes she bought. “Of course not, Riley, you’ll get made fun of. You’re not moving to Nashville, you’re moving to New York,” I cringed when she said that;I wasn’t positive that this was the right thing for a country girl. But there was no turning back now. I’d already enrolled in high school (I would be starting my junior year in 3 days-I’d be in NYC by then) and Phis was so excited when he’d heard my final decision. I couldn’t just quit. Quitting’s for city folk! So I sighed and continued packing all of my new clothes (and i snuck in my favorite plaid shire while mom wasn’t looking). It was quiet then, and I knew exactly what Mom was doing: getting her camera so she could take a picture of another pointless thing, almost bursting into tears. Sure enough, she emerged through the doorway and started snapping pictures like crazy.For almost 16 years i’d lived with my mom, Terrey, and now I was about to leave quiet, 14.1 sq. mile town of Fairview, Tennessee for the crowded, noisy, 304.8 sq. mile city of New York, where my dad, Phil, lived I know you’re probably thinking, “Why would Riley leave like that? Doesn’t she like Tennessee? well, of COURSE I like Tennessee! who wouldn’t? It’s just that after 15 years of living in the same house with the same people without seeing your dad except for very special occasions, you get tired of it. Sure, we’ve gotten a few more chickens, and sure, not all of our cows lasted, but wouldn’t you get tired of it? So that’s why, as soon as i crammed my suitcases with clothes that i hated, we were on our way to the airport.
2 and a half hours later i was walking out of the plane, smiling vibrantly at Phil. He smiled back, and as I approached, wrapped me in a warm bear hug. “Hey, Riley! how old are you now?” he asked playfully. It’s always the same question. “Sixteen, dad, and tomorrow’s my birthday,” I told him. “Oh, believe me, I know,” something in his voice made me suspect something. Phil was always one for surprise parties. I wondered what would be waiting for me when we got home. Home…this is my home now. I looked out my window at the tall skyscrapers, the thick fog, and realized that it would be a long time until I saw the comfortable softness of the grass, hear the soft moo from our ancient cow, or smell the delicious pie that Terrey always made from the apples in our orchard. Sure, it would be a change, I just hadn’t realized how big that change was until that very moment…

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