Saturday In The Park

Well, today I took the advice of the hit song by Chicago and spent Saturday in the Park - well at least part of the day.  And oh my, the sights to be seen! 

I took a drive over to Columbus to a shopping village called Easton.  It's a beautiful property with outside entrances to all the stores, and in the center there's a grassy area with benches and a fountain that really isn't a fountain, but about 25 or 30 underground spigots that shoot water in various patterns.  Music is piped into all areas, so it creates a relaxing place to catch your breath or wait on those who are joining you.

After Building A Bear for my future grandson (which was a BLAST), I had time to just sit and observe - something my Grandfather used to love to do!  He would go to the state house in downtown Columbus and sit for hours, taking in the world around him.  I did the same today and I have to say it was actually pretty humorous. Now, imagine a day in the high 60's, a bright blue sky with puffy clouds moving overhead, a wonderful breeze rustling the trees behind you and sparrows chattering and chasing each other.  You're on a bench and you observe:

A very pregnant young lady with her mammoth husband, who is several steps ahead of her and not really aware of where she is - he's on his cell phone.  She is struggling to hang on to her purse, get the panel of her maternity jeans up over her belly and keep her maternity shirt down over the panel. She would pull up the panel and the shirt would come up; she'd pull down the shirt and the panel would slide down; back and forth, back and forth.  You get the pciture.  She was fairly oblivious to all who were around her, but everyone got quite a view as this couple progressed. The husband never did turn around!  I'm totally not making fun of her - I feel for her!  I remember being pregnant a million years ago and walking along as my pantyhose rolled down over my belly.  It' ain't pretty and it's mighty uncomfortable!

To your right, there is a collection of children hanging on a decorative wrought iron fence watching a grouping of model trains go in and out of fabricated mountains, tunnels and trees.  There are several trains, with different themes and as they come into view, this gaggle of kids chants what they are looking at:  "An-i-mals, An-i-mals, An-i-mals!", followed by "Trucks and cars, Trucks and cars, Trucks and cars!" and finally when the train with the Ohio State Buckeye insignia and tiny plastic football players in and on top of rail cars, you hear, "Buck-eyes, Buck-eyes, Buck-eyes."  Now, we're talking 3, 4 and 5 year olds here. I had to smile as the Buckeye train passed and there was an exchange between 2 of the younger gazers.  The first said, "What's a Buckeye?" and the answer came back, "Not Buckeye, Black-eyes! Somebody must have got hurt."  Ah ... true sports fans.

Now, swing your eyes to the center and rivet them on the water experience.  Two toddlers are squatting down just outside the reach of the exploding water.  Their eyes are round with wonder and anticipation.  They're too young to know what a pattern is or that such a thing even exists.  So, they glance in all directions trying to guess where the next geyser will appear.  They squeal with the glee of a child that is surprised again and again and you have to wonder how in the heck they can sit back on their heels that long without falling over!  At long last, one of the dads comes to retrieve his little one.  Apparently he's not been paying attention to what happens here, because he turns his back on the water holes, leans over to pick up his toddler just as this Ohio version of Old Faithful does it's thing.  Bullseye!  A shot in the keester and adults dissolve into laughter that cannot be construed as sympathetic all around him! He is shocked, then embarrassed and finally, just takes a bow and slinks away to connect with his hysterical wife!

Actually, it was great to just sit, to see all stages of life around.  Girls with the shortest shorts imagineable, boys with their tongues hanging out trying to follow without being seen.  Young couples holding hands, giggling the nervous giggles of young love.  And my favorite - the seniors who are also walking hand in hand, simply taking it all in.  Theirs is a leisurely walk of comfort and years of knowing each other.  They smile at the little ones by the water, caution the younger ones hanging on the fence to see the trains and simply shake their head at the daddy with the wet behind!  One gentleman smiles knowingly, pauses and kisses his best girl on the cheek - no words needed, but volumes spoken between them.

It was a GREAT afternoon!