Mom's Field Trip

"Three cheers for Mom's field trip!" I encouraged.

We were hot. Really hot.
It was crowded. Really crowded.
And the specialty food item---
"Sweet potato ice cream," I told my youngest son.
"Really?"
"Really."
"No corn on the cob dipped in soy sauce?"
"No."
"Really?"
"Really.

"Three cheers for Mom!" I said again in my most energetic way.

We were at the famous Samurai Archery Horseback Festival--on one of the hottest days of the summer.

"C'mon, boys," I said. "Samurai. Archery. Horseback. Think about it. It's going to be incredible. Let's just stay to see the targets."
"Mom?"
"Yes, Honey."
"Mom, we found a target. And, coincidentally, it's back at the train station."
"The train station?" I asked. "What do you mean? There's no target there."
"Yes, there is," my son answered. "Our target is air conditioning and cold ice cream at Baskin Robbins."

I had researched the festival, the train schedule and the route to the shrine. But I hadn't considered the extremely humid weather.

"I have a new idea," I said as we cooled off at 31 flavors. "From now on, I think Dad should plan all our field trips."

"Three cheers for Mom!"