Episode 37: Winter Picnic

You step out on your porch in the brilliant late morning light of a sunny winter day. All around you, neighbors are dragging their patio furniture off their porches and out of storage, into the street, which is closed to traffic. Today is the first block party of the year in your neighborhood, and the festivities will be kicking off shortly. You listen to the crows as they comment loudly from the trees on the human activity beneath them, and you take the last bite of your spinach and cheese croissant from the French bakery, which you have warmed in your oven. The filling is salty and smooth beneath the crunch of the flaky outer shell. As you brush a tiny avalanche of crumbs from your chest, you take a satisfied breath.

Larry and Mason wave to you as they walk by your house, both carrying clipboards. Larry calls out, “Hello, You! Are you ready for some frozen fun?”

You squint to see them through the glare of the sun off the deep snow in your yard, as you say, “Yes, I’m ready to party hearty. I’m gonna suit up and bring down my porch furniture.”

Mason says, “I’ll come back in a minute and help you with that.”

Larry adds, proudly, “He’s our junior block captain.”

You tell them both, “I didn’t even know we had block captains.”

Larry says, “We help get the permits for the block parties. We’re allowed to do 10 a year, so… that’s what we do. One a month, from February to November.”

Mason chimes in, “We don’t do the Slip N’ Slide every time.”

You sweep your hand around broadly at the wintry landscape and say, “I think Mother Nature brought the Slip N’ Slide herself for this one.”

Another neighbor down the street beckons to Larry and Mason, and the two of them wave to you again as they head off. You walk back into your living room, where your heavy down coat, your snow pants, and your boots are waiting for you. After a few minutes of layering, you are ready to head back outside for the rest of the day.

Emily is walking up to your porch as you step out the front door. She says, “Hey, can I help you bring down your furniture?”

You say, “Yes, thank you. Although Mason might be bummed to miss out.”

Emily grins up at you and says, “I’m sure there will be plenty of other heavy things for him to lift.”

As the two of you bring your outdoor couch to a gentle rest in the middle of the street, you take in the scene around you. At the center of your block is a circle of barbecue grills, ringed by picnic and patio tables. There are several more sitting circles elsewhere in the block, like the one you and Emily are now forming with your couch as well as some of the patio furniture from her parents’ house. The grills are already sizzling with food, and you can smell roasting corn on the breeze. You remember that you need to bring out the chestnuts that Emily and Grace gave you the other day at Claire’s birthday. You feel your arm and leg muscles relax from the exertion of carrying the couch, and you take a slow breath.

The rest of the day passes in a blur of delightful moments. Olivia and Mason are doing henna tattoos for kids and adults, so you get a henna snowflake on the back of your hand. The design is surprisingly intricate, and you look up at Olivia with real appreciation as you say, “This is gorgeous. Thank you so much.” Olivia replies, “Yeah, of course,” meeting your gaze with a warm smile.

Fatima has inserted herself in the middle of the Dads doing the grilling. She is holding a huge tray of chicken kebabs, and you hear her demand of Darryl, “But what is a hot dog, exactly? What are they made of?” Darryl looks around him for help, but the other Dads are studiously avoiding this line of questioning.

You stop by the roasted corn grill a few times throughout the day, alternating between farm style, with salt, pepper, and butter, and elote style, with mayo, chili powder, and cotija cheese. You wander the block with your elote on a wooden stick, watching people share food and laughter as they relish each other’s company.

As day turns to night, a DJ starts spinning tunes in front of an improvised dance floor at the far end of the block. You recognize the DJ from the River Beach last summer. Everyone is now wearing neon glow stick bracelets and necklaces, as the elders in the crowd shimmy to the classics. Little kids run in gleeful circles around the teenagers who are gathering on the edges of the dance floor, waiting for their turn to take over. 

The DJ plays a slow song, which brings all the couples off the sidelines, and you spot Moose and Diya swaying together as a light snow starts to fall. You look up at the clouds that have gathered overhead, noticing that they reflect back the lights of the town in a soft haze. You feel the flakes falling on your cheeks, melting to water, as you take a cleansing breath.

Matthew and Grace wave shyly to you as they dance, and they both come over at the end of the song. Grace takes your mittened hands and squeezes them, saying, “It’s so good to see you here. We just love how you have become part of the life of our neighborhood.”

You say, “Thank you. I still can’t believe I get to live here.”

Matthew looks up at the night sky and says, “We’re due for some more snow before this deep freeze is done with us. I reckon we’ll get one more big snowstorm this coming week.”

Grace adds, “But we host the baked potato buffet in all weather. We’re like the post office - neither snow, nor rain, nor gloom of night. See you next Saturday?”

You say, “Oh yes, of course. I never miss it.”

Matthew smiles softly and says, “Neither do we.”