e brothers not-so-fondly call them "the crap fairs", used to be a yearly tradition for me. My first memories of the craft fairs sometimes included snow and sleet, and little red boots to slosh through the mud with while our parents gazed at crafts. This tradition continued through until my adult years. That is, until I started working for state parks. Turns out, October is THE month that everyone and their dog goes to a state park...and how can you blame them in this weather? But being a park employee made it hard for me to enjoy fall. By late in the year, I found myself with very low tolerance after a full season of park visitors, plus I didn't have time to enjoy the lovely weather for myself. Any free time was spent getting as far away from a park environment and tourists as possible. But, since I am now footloose and fancy-free, I was able to immerse myself in arts and crafts on a grand scale for the first time in a full six years. Unfortunately, this wasn't a banner year for arts and crafts. I only made a couple of purchases, which I can't talk about because the recepients of those items may be reading this blog. Despite the fact that it wasn't our usual huge haul of stuff, it was a very beautiful day, and well worth the trip.
And now I'm back at The Homestead, after a gorgeous day for the drive back. During the drive, I did see a scene worth commenting on, and I really wished I'd had my camera. I was significantly east of Springfield when I could no longer ignore "nature's call", so I pulled into a McDonald's. At this particular McDonald's, something kind of looked out of whack. Again, I wish I had a picture, because there in between a car and an SUV was a horse-pulled Amish wagon, complete with an Amish woman holding what I can only assume was an Amish baby. I went inside, and sure enough, there was the Amish man in his full Amish get-up placing his order. As I came out of the bathroom he was still waiting, so I went to the car. He came out pretty close behind me, and I watched him carry his bag of food to the wagon and hand it to the woman as he went to untie the horses from the hitching post.
And that's when it dawned on me - that it was the only McDonald's I've ever noticed with a hitching post. The spectacle was a bit surreal, even though I do know that people of the Amish faith actually accept more aspects of modern life than many of us "English" realize. However, it was still a bit like watching Pa Ingalls using a chainsaw. Or Grandpa Walton checking his email. Or Jeremiah Johnson carrying the "baar" he just killed with a four-wheeler.
I suppose like all of us, even the Amish get a hankerin' for some good greasy fast food, and they sure can't be blamed for that. And with a baby, maybe after a day of being out and about the woman just didn't feel like going home and taking the time to literally fire up the stove. I do wonder what he ordered. He looked like a Big Mac kind of guy...or possibly the Big 'N Tasty. If they were the least bit like me, neither one of them would touch Chicken McNuggets with a ten foot pole tipped with a dead skunk.
2 comments:
State park tourists deplete your tolereance? Really? I can't imagine why . . . :-)
p.s. I might could handle Grandpa Walton checking his e-mail, & J Johnson with a four-wheeler, but if I saw Pa Ingalls with a chain saw, I just might cry.
Great post. You always make me laugh.
I've been saying for YEARS how one of these days I'm going to have my camera with me and have the opportunity to snap a pic of one of the buggies IN THE DRIVE-THRU LINE at that McDonald's!! I've seen it, but haven't been able to prove it with a photo. One of these days, I will satisfy this urge to fulfill this photographic dream of mine...
Meanwhile, here in Carthage, I'm on another "image-capturing" mission. Ya see, there's this older couple who obviously don't own an automobile. But this does not deter them from traipsing around town and taking care of their business. Picture this: a man driving his John Deere riding lawn mower pulling his WIFE behind him who's sitting in a little wooden trailer/wagon with one of those orange reflective hazard triangles on the back "gate"! It appears they are blissfully happy with this mode of transportation, as they wave as if they are in a perpetual parade. Sometimes "he" just gives the courtesy head nod, but "she" waves as if she's Miss America with the slightly cupped hand and rotating wrist.
No street is too busy for these folks! Garrison? No problem! I've seen them in the traffic lane waiting for a stop light to turn green! Central? You betcha'! In fact, I had to laugh the other day when I was leaving the grocery store...I saw their "car" parked in one of the spaces at Dollar General. And sadly, again I did not have my camera with me.
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