Afterglow

We've been hitting this "holiday festival" for 10 years now, but within that range there are multiple signposts measuring time beyond years.  It wouldn't have been odd 10 years ago if The Big Scoop and I were sitting on the edge of a retaining wall eating chicken vromiko sandwiches.  This year, we sat amidst the other revelers and while I had been effusive in my praise for the meal, the Scoop was succinct and even more effective: "Man...street meat.  This is the best.  And you know what?  Mom can't have any.  She's just gonna do that thing where she touches every part of the sandwich, looks at it all over, takes wayyyy too big a bite, says 'huh', and gives it back."  I laughed because I've pointed out that very thing in the past, and that while the Scoop has a good memory for those kinds of things, it would be deadly accurate.  Unsurprisingly, I couldn't finish this massive meal, and when the Artist former known as Smiley returned and saw how happy we were, she'd changed her tune.  Might as well have some of mine; I'm done.  

Short of using the word "fondling" I can't think of another description as to what we saw when the sandwich was given to her, but there it was...all that was missing was a jeweler's eyepiece.  A giant bite taken.  And then, true as anything, the review was "Huh.  There's garlic on that.  Well, not my favorite."  And, also true as anything, I asked her favorite sandwich so that we could dine there this weekend.  "Well...I don't know."  The 3 of us wandered off and, as usual, were broken up amongst the crowd.

In one booth, a man was selling 3-D printed figures.  He was wearing a Double Dare T-Shirt, and after a he and I had a brief chat about that game show, the Scoop looked over the wares.  "Did you see?  I told you!"  A block away, a Ferris wheel spun in a bank parking lot.  The screams heard were legitimate: each movement from the ground looked like a perilous adventure.  Next to the Ferris wheel were adults in Ghostbusters costumes.  When I tried to compliment them on the wardrobe, they flashed me a QR code so that we could help contribute to "their cause."  The cause being cosplay, I guess?  I demurred and hustled into a church where they hold an annual craft fair and bake sale.  These guys aren't going to chase me for money in there, will they?

Everyone selling items seemed bemused that people buy anything, which is curious considering the hand-crafted nature of it all.  I asked the Scoop which holiday item we should get next?  "We bought her Halloween decoration last year, the Christmas one the year before, and 2 turkeys for Thanksgiving the year before that.  What should it be?  American Flag?  That could be--"  She reached over me.  "An Easter Egg!  That looks so pretty!  Plus, Mom'll be--" and then made her vocal impression that's exaggerated but knows makes me laugh.  Like earlier, she arrived and the argument carried over...now over a $4 decoration.  I let them go at it while I (unknowingly) caught the eye of a lady in the church kitchen.  "Can we interest you in the chili dinner?" she smiled.  This meal consists of a bowl of chili and a hot dog (or a chili dog), a bag of chips, and a bottle of water for the low price of $9.  My memory saved me as I changed my expression to 'promising' and asked "does this chili have beans?"  It's the same chili every year.  Their chili has beans, and I prefer Texas chili without beans, so I'm saved again from the guilt...or maybe ending up like those who have eaten the dinner at the tables and seem unable to get up.  

Wandering back, I passed the car show and overheard Jay Leno's name dropped.  Is he here...somewhere?  Sadly, I don't have the time: the street aspect was soon to close up.  We ducked into one of Dealville's many pop culture stores where I held up the soundtrack to Battlestar Galactica on vinyl - the same that was curiously in the band storage room.  No reprints here.  I remember coming into this store long ago, and she picked out an Ernie doll from Sesame Street.  On this night, she said "maybe they have some Carrie White and Tommy Ross stuff."  I couldn't be prouder.

As the next holidays commence, I remain in a wavelength, parallel yet separate.  The Scoop keeps tilting toward mine.  It's not a competition, nor a demand, just a pleasant surprise.  Problem is, someone else doesn't like being on their wavelength alone.  Can't these waves come together?  Or is the length the problem?