I hate crowds. I don't like to be bumped into, cut off or wait for someone who stops for no reason in front of me when I need to get by. I get a panicked feeling inside of me when this occurs and my flight instinct kicks in right away. For this reason I avoid Walmart, theme parks and other assorted gathering areas. But here I am at The Rose Parade, telling myself I am participating in joyful camaraderie.
For the most part I am not this cynical. I do have a love and a passion for the human race. I enjoy intimate company say in the private moments of a beautiful woman, a good friend or family. I take a deep breath as I am again pushed and shoved as I try to find a good vantage point. My hand rests on my digital camera as I make my way through the throngs of onlookers. I would take my companion to the parade and then grab a bite to eat. I knew that this would take a lot out of me, but at their suggestion, I agreed to accompany them to this event. I start wishing we would have went to eat first and my conversation would be so engaging we would opt to skip this part of the day.
"over here!" I am pulled to a spot that has opened in the front. I stand next to them awkwardly thinking I am too tall to be standing in the front. I know it is moments away before someone says they can't see.
Passing by on the street are people on floats smiling their plastic smiles and waving. Perception is everything right? Because I am miserable I have to assume they are too. I hear my couch calling me above the din. I look again at the people around me and must be relaxing. I see children excited and caught up in all of the action. They are yelling above the chatter of the crowds. Some are jumping as if thinking their efforts will lift them above the adults standing and enjoying the sights. One of them is lifted shrieking with delight to perch on the shoulders of what I am assuming is their big sister. Now I begin to understand the draw. I look again at the floats and the plastic smiles and think to myself, this is the Rose Parade. The plastic smiles may actually be real beams of pride and happiness. The biggest moment of some of their lives. Maybe the lost some sleep last night and would remember today for the rest of their lives. They would take their grandkids to this event and tell them they were once in this celebration.
I am breathing easier now and enjoying my company and the sights the day is unfolding in front of me, and as if on cue the sun breaks. Caught in the sun is a shadow of a miniature car, the silhouette of a clown with a big wig and honking a horn weaving and waving down the street. The children split into two parts, some wave and call out, others put their heads down into their chins hoping not to get any attention whatsoever from the clown. Bringing up the rear are a group of horses with the riders dressed in rodeo costumes. Now they look happy and proud, and a bit grand with the introduction of the sun. I always wished I could be a cowboy. Maybe that's why I ended up in Montana for a summer and rode fence. Now that was work.
They are smiling big and proud as they ride by, and the horses themselves seem very happy and energetic. One horse is walking and deposits road apples onto the asphalt. There are comments mumbled by parents, a few chuckles and some laughter from kids. The horse continues on its journey as it is leaving large droppings on its wake. The rider, oblivious or simply does not pay any mind to it. An electric cart with a mini dumpster bucket turns towards the horse droppings and is followed by a man with a flat shovel.
" Do you think he gets paid enough?" Comes a sarcastic remark from somewhere in the back. The crowd within earshot laughs out loud. The man seems to have heard the remark and flashes a million dollar smile in my direction as the comment came from directly behind me. Below the rim of the baseball hat that says "John Deere" I see the eyes and face of a friend from school. Shocked I recognized him right away. He was the guy in my dorm that was a resident assistant back in college. My college days were filled with him coming to my door and telling me the music was too loud. Breaking up parties and watching me come in from my bike rides or rushing through the lobby, my home work was going to be the death of me! He had handed out many warnings and documented many indiscretions to the residents there. He seemed always and forever uptight and anti social. Maybe when he grows up he'll be a doctor or a lawyer I always thought to myself. Never win the award for being the most social of people in the world. In fact, I was sure that he did what he did for a resume or some sort of what not. I forget his name even to this day. Looking back on this, I realize what he had was drive and purpose. He had an idea in his head a dream and motivation to take his schooling and life in general a lot more serious than I had. I measured my level of success in how many women I could talk to and how many parties I could go to. Wrong again. Here he was on my street attending my parade and invading my afternoon with his happy face. He was scooping up road apples! He looked happy, and that was a different face than he wore almost twenty years ago. It meant that he found hard work and dedication paid off a lot quicker for him.
Ironically I would want to raise children I may have to have those things. A desire to learn, a purpose in their lives and the stick to it attitude that will reap bountiful rewards, monetarily as well as spiritually. I can only assume things about this mans journey, and my assumption that any man that can look that happy scooping up shit must be a happy man. He thought that I had made the remark and his face said that he took it with a grain of salt, not with defensiveness or even a mild offense. He accepted it and was happy with his job. How doe he do that? I picture myself out there doing the same thing as I give him a smile and a nod. He does not recognize me but smiles back as if to say "no harm done." Still a teacher and inspiration after all of these years, quietly succeeding and making healthy choices. Ironically cleaning up the shit of animals again.
I had to ponder this. What was the lesson for me here? There are is no such thing as a coincidence. Did it mean that fate was getting tired of me coasting through life? Ws it time to shake up the grand scheme of things and try to do something bigger and brighter. Life is full of risks whether you take them or you don't. When you make a conscious decision to try something different at least you can look for the result and be aware of the ramifications. It can never be too late to start and the time was here and now. I put my arm around my companion who was watching the parade and she turned to me and smiled into my eyes. I smiled back and took a swig of my over priced coffee. I shook my head at the spot where the horse shit had been scooped up and my heart did a dance. I can start right now.
Now about your next assignment, a.) Anticipate what I am going to
> first ask you about your writing on our next encounter? b.) Another
> sharing of the world is in order between you and this individual you
> first saw out of the bus window. In this case you are watching the
> Rose Parade. As it winds down there is a platoon of sweeps that come
> along to clean up the horse shit dropped by the parade cowboys
> horses. You are surprised to see Mr. X there pushing a broom. Tell
> me what happens? Dr. C.
Thank you Dr.C for this assignment. I will see you soon, and I appreciate the constant challenges in writing that you have been giving me. I trust that you are being unbiased with your grading system. It looks like looking back on them I am getting a 3.0. Which is above average and nothing to settle but at the same time nothing to complain about either.
Aaron
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