I am not sure about something. 

Do I ride because I love to ride, or do I ride because I love the things that ‘happen’ when I ride? 

The things that have nothing to do with riding. 

The things that happen because I ride. 

The things that happen while I ride. 

Because I am ‘out there.’ 

Every ride I go on, I put some change in my pocket. 

I love to stop at Lemonade Stands. 

I am enamoured of them. 

The display. 

The kids. 

The interaction. 

Their excitement. 

Their excitement at ‘making a sale.’ 

Their eyes on the ‘jar’ as the money is dropped in. 

The tip. 

The chemistry between them. 

Who does what? 

It is 100% guaranteed entertainment. 

The way they watch you take your first sip. 

My excitement at telling them, ‘This is the best Pink Lemonade I have ever had.’ 

I was on a ride yesterday. 

I was riding through a beautiful little town I have ridden through hundreds of times. 

There is a little park down by the water. 

It has an excellent water fountain. 

I stopped to get a drink. 

As I pulled up to the fountain, I saw a Lemonade Stand metres away from the fountain. 

It was not any old Lemonade Stand. 

It was the nicest one I had ever seen. 

It was set up on a picnic table. 

Mom and her son were sitting on the other side. 

Tablecloth. 

Lemonade and Iced Tea jugs were placed on it. 

Bucket of ice. 

Glasses stacked. 

They were out to do business. 

They were out to do business on the one day I forgot to put some change in my pocket. 

But they had a sign. 

And the sign was beautiful. 

Stencils. 

Stickers. 

Glitter. 

It said, ‘BOISSONS GRATUITES.’ 

Aka, ‘FREE DRINKS.’ 

They were looking at me. 

They were hoping I would come over. 

I skipped the fountain and walked over. 

‘WOW,’ I said. 

‘How wonderful is this, merci beaucoup.’ 

I ordered a Pink Lemonade. 

The boy excitedly poured it for me. 

We began to talk and talk we did. 

The boy, Laurent. 

The mom, Genvieve. 

Genvieve invited me to sit down and join them. 

I did. 

We had a wonderful chat. 

Simply, beautiful people. 

Throughout the conversation, I heard Laurent say, ‘My project.’ 

Throughout the conversation, I heard Genvieve say, ‘Laurent’s project.’ 

I had to ask, ‘What is your project, Laurent?’ 

He looked at me. 

He looked at his mom. 

‘It is okay Laurent, you can tell him,’ she said. 

Laurent looked at me and said… 

Oh gosh, I am getting choked up again. 

He said, ‘To be a good person.’ 

Yes, that is what he said. 

I was wearing dark sunglasses. 

I am glad I was. 

I got choked up. 

I don’t think Laurent picked up on it. 

Genvieve did. 

Do you know what I thought about too? 

Not then, but later. 

It is something Genvieve said before I knew what the ‘project’ was.

She said, ‘I am here to support Laurent with his project.’ 

Now that is a mom, eh? 

I must admit, it was hard to get up and leave that ‘Lemonade Stand.’ 

I did not know what to say. 

How to thank them? 

How Laurent was already ‘a good person.’ 

How he was destined for greatness. 

How a simple gesture of a free Pink Lemonade moved me to tears. 

How a twelve-year-old kid will have a lasting effect on me. 

But it came to me as I was getting back on my bike. 

Just say exactly that. 

‘Lemon Aided’ 

Insert every emoji that deals with love here. 

‘There is another way to ride.’