Fall in Westfield starts with digging through bins of winter clothes, pulling out long sleeve shirts, big, baggy sweaters, and comfy, worn out jeans. It’s fall now. It’s time to say bye to the hot weather, flip-flops, and tank tops with shorts, and hello to the new season.
I yank my summer clothes out of my dresser, throwing them onto the floor in one colossal heap, and shove my winter clothes into the empty drawers, not caring that they are all unfolded.
I crack my window so the fall breeze can cool down my room. Mixture of grass, damp leaves, and fall flowers combine to make the perfume of fall; the best smell in the world.
Outside, autumn has taken effect. The trees are turning shades of red, orange, and brown. The colors stick out and dance in the gentle breeze across the blue painted sky. Wispy, white clouds line the top of the trees.
I watch as the birds flutter and dance across the sky, chirping loud and lovely songs.
The grass is a deep green and is littered with toys from kids who came out to play in the beautiful, fall weather. Dying leaves fall from their limbs and land softly on the ground, leaving a brand new mass for the neighbor to rake up. My dog barks at the leaves, trying to catch them in his mouth as they float slowly to the ground.
There are piles of foliage on the ground, with rakes thrown on top of them where the neighbors decided they were done for the day. Little kids in fluorescent colored jackets run and jump into their own piles, then stand up and rake it back into the red, orange, and yellow mound again. My younger brother and sister are outside making “leaf balls” and attempting to throw them at each other, as if that will cause any damage.
I shove in my last bit of winter clothes into my dresser, letting them bulge out and entangle with each other, then run down stairs to go outside. I swing open the front door and am greeted by a “leaf ball” that my brother threw. The leaves stick to my sweater and hair.
I step out into the grass; it’s cold and tickles my bare feet. I close my eyes and smell the air. I listen to the laughter from across the street and the wind whistling through the trees. I open my eyes and look up into the deep blue sky. It’s so beautiful and perfect. It’s fall.