The scarecrow show, all standing to attention
THE TIME BEING CLOSER TO HALLOWEEN, MONSTERS, GHOSTS, FACES FROM TIME BEYOND, WERE ON DISPLAY. WHAT MADE ME LAUGH WAS OO7 JAMES BOND HANGING ON A STICK
At home away from home and yet on a vacation, it couldn’t get better! While visiting my son in the US, we manage to do plenteous unusual things. Life back home is interesting but very predictable, very routine. I do have a conglomeration of activities in my daily schedule and yet this variety also falls into a pattern. But here not only is everything different, we also break out of our mould or so it seems.
When I count my blessings one that features prominently is that most of us in the family have a similar idea of blithe activities. Malls, shopping, restaurants though on our list of “to do” things are low in priority. We look for paths leading away from the beaten track for that kick.
This Sunday, we decided to visit a small town called Bucks County in Pennsylvania. It was a beautiful day, not too hot and not too cold, just perfect. We had been there years ago and had enjoyed the experience. When we reached the place, it was teeming with people. A festive mood lingered as everyone moved about in an easy gait. The event was called, A Scarecrow Show. I wondered how interesting that could ever be! But I was in for a surprise.
I haven’t seen too many scarecrows in India. There they all seem to belong to one family with an earthen pot placed upside down for a head, the arms stretched out straight, maybe some straw sticking out of the sleeves. Here as we walk around, our amazement growing with each display.
The first entry was a ‘guy’ sitting on a bench in a yellow shirt and black pants, sitting as though in slumber. As we took a few steps more, we came upon a scene of a beautiful princess on a couch and the ‘scarecrow’ on guard, smart and strong as they come. A ninja, a witch, Spiderman, a mishmash of skeletons in different stances (one even doing yoga) all standing to attention. The time of the year being closer to Halloween, monsters, ghosts, faces from time beyond, were on display. The one that really made me laugh was the irresistible 007 James Bond, Sean Connery, hanging on a stick.
The shops and stores had entrancing items on sale. On my previous visit, I had picked up a set of chimes, which gave off exceedingly beautiful music that seem to waltz in the gentle breeze and do a ‘Shiv Tandav’ when the angry, harsh winds lashed. This time too, I was looking for a souvenir to mark my visit and its’ not difficult to guess what I picked up. A scarecrow!
Small, beautiful and an exquisite piece of workmanship, it shall adorn my home in India, reminding me of the day, adding to my treasure chest of memories. What are memories after all but our experiences boxed somewhere in the mind to dip into every once in a while. They truly make life rich!