On Getting Old -- 56

Our neighbors up the block organized a block party for this day. We moved into our home in 1982 and have never had a block party. So we were looking forward to the event.

At 10:30 AM the street was barricaded with traffic horses at both ends of our block. The kids had the entire street to themselves unimpeded by cars.

As dusk descended, the neighbors congregated in front of the hosts’ house. Music blared from loudspeakers. Tables were aligned and stacked with food – crackers with salmon, hummus, “pigs-in-a-blanket”, polish sausage, potato chips, fudge, cupcakes, on and on. Grills emitted smoke scented of hot dogs and hamburgers.

People gathered in groups and talked, moved to new groups and talked more. A couple moved onto the block the same year we did, and for twenty-seven years we never saw them. New acquaintances were made and old ones reinforced.

The children ran and played and ate during the entire evening – more children than our first year at this residence.

As we toted our table and chairs back home, I was amazed that I had never before noticed all the candy around us.

Ciao