Esta’s Escapades

One of the advantages of being apart of a huge family is having tons of relatives thus having someone to visit in every corner of the globe. So this weekend I traveled the very long distance to Amherst, MA. That’s right folks, I went OVER the bridge.

Going over the bridge is something that one really has to think about here. It takes careful planning, prayer, maybe a lit candle or two. When I lived in Arkansas we would go to Memphis for dinner. That was an hour and half away. On Cape Cod if we go to the high school (which is 15 minutes away) we have to pack a lunch. I used to not understand this mentality. But then one Saturday I went to visit my cousin at college. He goes to Gordon College, which is only 3 hours away at best. Though out the day I realized that not only had I packed a backpack instead of a purse, but I had included everything that one could possibly or not possibly need to be away from home. I don’t think I brought another pair of underwear…you know…just in case, but my point remains. I realized that I was now apart of the “going over the bridge” mentality.

So this weekend I stepped out of my comfort zone and went “over the bridge” to loverly Amherst, in lovely western Mass, and basked in organic foods, long skirts and Mercantile Clothing stores. My Aunt and Uncle renovated a beautiful historical home downtown Amherst and visiting with them is like taking a long relaxing nap in the middle of the afternoon, with a cuddly kitty, and a baseball game on in the background. There is no schedule, no responsibilities, just fresh tomatoes, homemade cheese, and no TV!

We spent the day on Saturday traveling around the area, taking in the scenery, and visiting farms that charge way to much to pick your own berries. Needless to say we did not pick our own berries but I did see a Goat’s penis…something that was quite an event. The conversation went like this:

EB- “Hey Mary? What’s that thing sticking outta the goat?”
AUNT- “uhh…I think that’s its penis”
EB- “Oh…huh..I’ve never seen one of those before. HEY! Where did it go? Bring it back!”
Mary falls over a stump and we both laugh.

Life on the farm…as they say. We spent the evening in North Hampton, eating and shopping. It was early evening so the street musicians were setting up for the dinner crowd. There was one young man; he looked to be in his twenties, who was setting up a steel drum. I couldn’t stop starting at him. He looked different than the other musicians…he looked…completely normal. He was plainly dressed, he was clean, and there was nothing that was particularly loud about him. He was handsome, and gorgeous in the way that musicians are but mostly it was his passion that held me. He was putting together his steel drum like it was his lover. Very gently and softly, I swear I heard him sigh as he tested it. I stood there for a minute, sort of struck by this man, wondering if anyone else saw this beautiful thing? To me, it was the loudest moment on the sidewalk.

I was a little embarrassed about my immediate craving to watch the steel drum player; after all it’s not as if I know him, so I didn’t mention it to my Aunt and Cousin at all. We kept shuffling along into another store that smelled of Bali and had more Jesus bobble-heads but when we left the store a little bit later, the sidewalk was alive with the sound of the steel drum. I could ignore the man no longer. I told my little cousin, K, that we needed to give that man some money. So we pulled out some change and she went to drop it into his case. I stood nearby intently mesmerized by the idea that he might look up and I would never forget it.  K crept forward and gingerly dropped the change and walked away quickly. I stayed and just stared. He didn’t look up right away as he was locked into his music for the moment. But after a second He did look up, first at K, then at me. He must have seen the appreciation in my eyes and we locked eyes. Then he broke out in a gorgeous smile that I felt right down to my toes. It was the smile that did it. It was as passionate as his intense gaze for the drum. It was the smile of someone who loved what they did and that was enough. I could not look away.

I did eventually, resisting the urge to go up and talk to him. I don’t know why…maybe the moment was enough to sustain me. Enough for a blog anyway.

I love this about human beings. We may be faulty and whiny. We may make tons of mistakes and fight over nothing but by God we have passion. I love that some people do what they do, on the sidewalk just because they like to do it. I should do what I love to do…talk. I’m gonna go sit on the sidewalk and just start talking to people. I’ll probably be arrested for being crazy. Ah well…. The crazies have passion also right?

Later that night I saw a T-shirt in a coffee shop that said, “What would Jesus Brew?”. Hysterical.

Sooo…. To sum up my weekend: wore long flowy skirts, saw a goat penis which inspired me to sing the song “you’ll shoot your eye out”, fell in love with a steel drum player, and laughed at a T-shirt that is borderline sacrilegious.

See what happens when one goes “over the bridge”?????