Ramblings. As in: Have Words -Will Ramble. As in: Ramble: to write or talk aimlessly or without sequence of ideas, to proceed with turns and twists; meander As In: observances of an everyday life in passing through the spectrum of extraordinary.
SLOW: People Playing
Monday, October 31, 2005
I did the trick or treat thing this year. I happen to be in a Neighborhood that, well - that might not take the halloween thing seriously - but it does take kids very, very seriously. People have a tendency to stand in the street and scream 'slow down!' when you are already driving 10 miles an hour BELOW the speed limit on a regular day. So, it's no wonder that for this night there were personal slow down signs - Kids At Play - placed in the middle of the street.
There were words and laughter, introductions from new neighbors, handshakes and welcomes passed around. At once and suddenly there was the sense of community the way it used to be. A flash of the fifties or sixties or even the 70s. A model night of remembering good times where good times were once so easily found. Old people that were normally slow and shut in, stood with doors wide open and laundry baskets full of candy taking their time asking, "What are you? Well, let me see, what do I have for a princess and her pea?" And sounds, of "Oh, honey come look at this one." Shouts of, "Go down to our house, be sure you go to our house, last house down the street on your left - we have great candy!" filled the street. Energy. Laughter. Joy.
Seems princesses, angels, and heros were the top of the hit parade this year. Lots and lots of princesses.
The prizes that I was charged with not losing were one great princesses and a tiny tot impersenating spiderman who had just enough face sticking out to recognize and not enough legs to make it to the stairs, much less swing between tall buildings. Too short for web thowers he had aunt River carry him house to house to house to house to house. Where aunt River obediently put him down and let him knock on the door and hold out his pumpkin for what aunt River hoped would be a baby snickers (instant fuel for toting toddlers) and then up and off and to Infinity and beyond as one short, blinking Buzz Lightyear reminded me.
And in the middle of the menagerie of moms and dads and inlaws and grandmas and grandpas in the streets dogs in costumes roamed the neighborhood. A German Shepard dressed as grandma, a boxer in athletic wear, a batman border collie. One dog had left his family and was trick or treating - in full costume - on his own. No one seemed to mind.
I don't know who had more fun tonight in this tiny little microcosm of the planet - the adults of all ages or the kids of all ages - but I know good fun was had. The kind where people walk and speak to one another and open their doors and oh, yes - leave the porch light on as a welcome not a warning.
The wind that had whipped around Nashville all day suddenly died down, the stars came out and the temperatures shot up. The coats, so necessary only a night before, were dropped at a safe distance and all the little hero's emerged in all their glory. Princesses shinned and sparkled. Little angels sprouted wings.
For just a little while it was okay to play dress-up and make believe. For just a little while in our corner of the globe all is well this night. All is well.
posted by River Jordan at 9:32 PM
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