I want to start a simple garden. Just to see if it might be something I can keep up with and enjoy. What is a good vegetable or fruit to start with and good advice on when, where, and how to plant.

go to burpee.com or walmart or K-mart, etc. and pick up some seed packets and read the back of the package for instructions.
I think parsley, onions, garlic and raddishes are easy to grow.
and maybe some bunch lettuce.

You didn't say how much room you have, but I've found that it's a lot easier to grow fruit like apples, pears, peaches, plumbs, cherries (or for me now in FL, like oranges, grapefruits, lemons, limes, figs, etc.)