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A burst of laughter floated from the backyard into the kitchen through the open door. The noise made Patricia smile as she punched at balls of raw hamburger, molding each one into a patty. The finished product ended up on a tray, next to a plate of hotdogs.

“I’m so glad you and Bill could be here in time for the Fourth of July,” she told her mother-in-law, Barbara, who stood on the other side of the table. “We haven’t been able to celebrate a holiday together in years.”

“Me too.” Barbara mixed pieces of baked potato with mayonnaise and spices to create a salad. “With our busy schedules we could never carve out enough free time to travel across the country by train. But once I convinced Bill that it was safe to fly, here we are.”

“How did you manage that?” Finished with the hamburger, Patricia went to the sink to wash. “Bill doesn’t trust new technology. I’m surprised you were able to get him to step aboard an airplane.”

“It took a lot of my usual persuasion,” Barbara admitted. “Dropping little hints here and there, steering him in the correct direction. Then one day he announced that he had a fabulous idea. We were going to fly!”

“His idea?”

“Indeed,” Barbara had a twinkle in her eye. “Similar to most ideas that husbands come up with. Totally on their own, with no assistance from their wives.”

“Of course,” Patricia winked back.

“Hey girls,” a male voice shouted from the backyard. “The grill is ready.”

“We’re coming.”

Her salad finished, Barbara picked up the bowl and a big serving spoon. “Ready to hear all about our fabulous trip, thanks to Bill‘s fantastic idea?”

Patricia nodded, heading toward the door, tray in hand. “Let’s go.”

In the backyard, the Bailey family participated in a familiar ritual, echoed by millions of Americans on the Fourth of July. The men clustered by a barbecue grill, and Patricia‘s daughter, Susie, tended to a brightly decorated picnic table. Arranging plates and silverware atop the plastic red and white checkered tablecloth.

As for the male contingent, the youngest member, Junior, watched intently as his father, Ted, tended the grill. Bill, Ted’s father, supervised by regaling them all with antidotes from his recent flying adventure.

“That was the smoothest trip I’ve ever experienced,” Bill said. “Why, we rode among the clouds as easily as a car drives down the street.”

“What was the best part,” Junior asked, displaying the curiosity of a typical 12-year-old. “Was it watching the propellers spin?”

“Of course not,” Bill said with a wink. “It was having the stewardess fluff your pillow!”

Ted poked at the red-hot coals. “So, you really enjoyed your flight, Dad?”

“Sure did. It was the best idea I ever had.”

Patricia and Barbara arrived on the scene just in time to hear the last comment and shared a secret smile. Then Barbara put down her potato salad and kissed her husband on the cheek. “I married the smartest man in the world.”

Embarrassed at the attention, Bill awkwardly patted his wife on the arm and changed the subject. “Is the food ready? I’m getting hungry.”

Patricia placed the tray of meats on the edge of the barbecue, then picked up a spatula and handed it to her husband. “Have at it, grill master.”

“Yes ma’am!” Ted scooped a hamburger patty off the tray. It hit the grill and started to sizzle. The rest of the burgers and hotdogs quickly followed. Dinner was only a few minutes away.

As the food cooked, Barbara inspected the backyard. An American flag hung from a pole by the door and a long, narrow cloth, decorated in red, white and blue stripes, lay draped across the porch railing.

“Your patriotic bunting adds such a festive feel to the yard, Barbara said. Whatever gave you the idea?

“The gas station,” Junior said.

A surprising answer. “Did they drape the pumps in red white and blue?”

“No, but they gave us this.” Junior went to the table. Next to the ketchup and mustard bottles, a can of soda sat on top of a brochure. The twelve-ounce beverage prevented the flimsy flyer from blowing away. Junior extracted the booklet and handed it to his grandmother.

“What have you got here?”

She opened the pamphlet and held it so her husband could see. It was called History of the American Flag and Touring Historic America.

“It’s full of facts and details explaining how the look of our flag evolved from earlier designs, to the present day,” Junior said.

“There are even details on how to display Old Glory.”

“And the proper Cub Scout salute!”

Ted, finished with his cooking, started putting burgers on plates. “Hey, Dad, since you’re now an experienced traveler, you might be interested in the back half of the booklet. There are lots of ideas on tourist destinations, if you want to learn more about historic America.”

“These are driving trips,” Bill protested.

“Not a surprise since it was given out by a gas station. There are lots of tips on keeping your car in shape for such a journey.”

“But now I’m an experienced flyer,” Bill announced. “I don’t want to drive. It takes too long.”

“Look at you,” Barbara exclaimed. “A total convert to modern technology.”

“In with the new, out with the old, I always say!”

“Of course, dear.”

“Dinner is ready,” Patricia announced and they all sat at the table. “There’s nothing wrong with a good driving trip.”

“Yes,” Susie agreed, joining in on the conversation for the first time. “I’d like to see some of these historic places.”

“We’ll plan a vacation,” Ted sat down, reaching for the ketchup to add to his perfectly grilled burger. “Next summer.”

“That would be wonderful.” Patricia passed the bowl of potato salad to her father-in-law. “Maybe you both can come with us.”

“A fantastic idea,” Barbara said. “We’ll make it a family excursion.”

“If I don’t fly first and meet you there,” Bill said with a twinkle in his eye.

Everyone laughed and then settled down to enjoy their meal. By the time they were done, the sun began to set, bathing the backyard in shadow.

“There are two options for the rest of the evening,” Ted announced as everyone cleared the table. “We can either drive up to the Point to enjoy the fireworks, or watch a broadcast on our brand-new television set.”

“Television set!” Bill hopped from his chair so fast it fell over. “I’ve never seen one of those.”

“Well, come into the living room. We’ll enjoy the show together.”

A mug nearly slipped out of Barbara’s hand as she watched her husband, son and grandson step inside the house. “First flying and now this. I never thought I’d live to see the day.”

Susie picked up the last of the dishes. “Grandpa is sure embracing the 20th century in a big way.”

“He wants to celebrate the future,” Patricia said. “Let’s join him, shall we?” They went inside to enjoy their evening.

And we get to celebrate the past through the eyes of the Bailey family, and through Glorious Vintage Stuff!