The world is peachy.

And now for something completely different.

It's funny how the little details stick with you over the years. Let me recount an example of what I mean.

I spent the entirety of my sixth grade year in England. My father was in the Air Force, and my mother and I came along when he was stationed at RAF Mildenhall. We were in East Anglia, about 80 or so miles north of London. I've seen many beautiful places, but none so green as this part of England. During the late spring and summer, pastures and trees form a vibrant, almost surreal verdant blanket over the landscape.

The school I attended was an American middle school located on an Feltwell Air Force base. Being that all of the students were in a foreign country, and a country rich with history at that, every year a low cost trip was offered to the sixth grade class. That year the trip was to Wales to see some three castles: Caenarfon, Conway, and Beaumaris  My parents not only had the good sense to let me go but chose to go themselves as chaperons. Two good friends of mine, Matthew and Paul, were also going.

The bus ride from the school to Llandudno, Wales would be at least half a day. I sat next to Matthew on the bus, and Paul across the aisle from us. My parents and I had traveled frequently by car around the States, so I was used to passing the time by simply staring off at the distant scenery. The edges of the motorways are not nearly so pretty as the oft unkempt vegetation lining smaller roads. Nevertheless, watching trees and structures pass by was a good way to feel a sense of progress toward our destination.

Perhaps an hour or two into the drive, our British culture teacher stood at the front of the bus holding a jar of gingersnaps. The cookies, he told us, were a nice remedy for nausea, should anyone be feeling at all queasy or motion sick. "I guess I'm too late," he muttered.

I hadn't heard anything unusual. No one made any sound indicating some sudden onset of illness. Nor was there an accompaniment of groans protesting in disgust. I glanced over at the aisle and saw what appeared to be spilled peaches. I shrugged and went back to looking out the window even as the bus came to a stop at the side of the road. Matthew left and the teacher came over to clean up. As he did so, he turned to me and asked, "Did he get any on you?"

"Get any what?" I replied quizzically.

Oh.

And it clicked. When Matthew got back on the bus and we started moving again, Paul cackled at me.

"You didn't notice?" he asked.

"I thought he spilled some peaches."

The three of us agreed on that point. I'm not sure to this day how Matthew managed to eat and then expel peaches in such a fashion, but it made for a bit of interesting if not odd conversation. It also wasn't the only time on that trip that he got sick either.

Wales was gorgeous, the castles were magnificent. But as I said, it's funny how the minor details stick out in my mind so vividly. Just goes to show. It's the little things in life.