Lincoln, Mom, Stephen, and I were going to the Maple Festival. It was about 2:30 on a Sunday, which is ironic because there was almost no sun at all. The sky was filled with heavy clouds and was getting darker all the time. Mom was in an epic race with nature as We hurtled down the road as fast as safely possible. We narrowly escaped a red light. As we drove there, large drops of water started pelting down onto the windshield of our van. By the time we got there, it had semi-subsided down to medium- sized drops.
We had all brought ponchos, and Stephen and I had umbrellas, so we thought it safe to emerge.
This next paragraph I add to make clear to the reader later events. As we approached the square, the last of the parade was going by. A Candy lady was coming, and She gave candy to all the kids around us, but managed to pass us by unawares. As we crossed the street, I said to Mom, " She skipped us!" She answered, " Just be glad for what you got." I was later to think back on those words.
When we got about 10 steps onto the other side of the road, it started pelting. Really pelting. When we were little, we used to be told that thunder was really the Angels bowling. Well, the alley must have been packed that Sunday, with Gabriel and the others getting Strikes every time. We ran to the Kettle Corn booth, and just when we thought it couldn't get any worse, it started hailing. Water was pouring off my umbrella onto Stephen's head. Mom had a 3- foot bag of popcorn clutched under her poncho. Lincoln huddled with Stephen under the bigger umbrella. The little overhang that there was on the tent leaked. I think about these circumstances and smile, because of what Mom said on the crosswalk.
After 5 minutes, and about 6 more good strikes on Gabriel's side, we made a break for the Maple Stir hut. On the way, we made the unwelcome discovery that the water had risen so that the water did not just flow under our shoes but over and into them. (Unfortunately I was wearing loafers, which became like miniature sunken boats.)
When we squeezed in the door, got our Stirs, and stood there stirring, I had time to look around. It was like being on the Mayflower. There was a baby crying in a corner of the room, a young puppy was barking, the room was packed like the Cheaper By The Dozen car, and the water was rising all the time. You would almost expect John Carver to burst into the room and shout " We've reached land! Hallelujah!" Again I refer to the crosswalk.
After the Stirs had hardened slightly, we squished downstream, trying in vain to shield our Maple stirs from the relentless rain, along with the 3-foot bag of popcorn, and finally arrived at the Maple Cotton Candy hut. This one wasn't crowded, so it was easier to move around. We purchased our long-sought-after and much-needed bags of Cotton Candy, after-which we decided it best to give up the ship and return home. So, we sloshed our way to the car, still trying to shield our Maple stirs from the rain, still clutching the 3-foot bag of popcorn, and now the 4 bags of Cotton Candy.
The waters of ground and sky were starting to diminish by the time we got to the van. We got into the car and I remarked,"Well,that was an adventure!". While we drove home the rain had reduced to a drizzle. By the time we had entered the house, exchanged our sopping clothes for dry ones, and assembled in the back room again, the clouds had parted, and the sun was starting to peep out. " If we had just waited 15 minutes, we never would have gotten soaked, and this never would have happened." Lincoln groaned. " Well, I had fun!" I said. And I will always remember this story, and it will be passed along to my children and grandchildren along to the end of my line.
~ By~
Chrisanna G. Sandham
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