JUST A SMILE!
(HerrinFesta 2012)
I was there for the parade. Around me were kids, babies in strollers, parents, workers from the rides, older Herrinites and a group from one of the shelter homes. When the cannon on the Bar-B-Q float shot out the multi-colored curled confetti and bright shiny streamers, there were expressions of surprise and happiness on all those faces. It was truly priceless! And I thought it was pretty, too.
I love to get a group connected and exchanging in a fun way. So, sometimes, I do really silly stuff. Like on Saturday, May 26, about 11 am, it was a bright sunny day and pretty warm in Herrin, Illinois. I drove my scooter past the giant slide. (Oh, it looked like fun to me.) I scootered across the parking lot to the west side of Park Avenue. Near the rail road tracks and just south of Cherry St. intersection I find a small tree, a spot of shade, a big panel truck parked just to the south and a nice western breeze.
A nice young couple lounging in their lawn chairs under the tree. Two young boys, say 10-12 years old, sitting on the curb, obviously tired, bored and waiting for the parade. Mom says they’re from Carterville. Thought the parade started at 10, so they had walked around. None of the rides were going yet, so they’ve been camped out here for an hour.
I smile and ask if I can share their shade. Mom’s very nice. Says, “Sure.” Boys are checking out my scooter. Dad’s buried in some modern technological marvel for texting. (There’s so many of them these days it’s hard to tell what type he’s using.) Anyway, I park, turn the key off. Start talking to Mom and the boys, Sean and Kyle. Sean’s their kid. Taller, Kyle’s a neighbor. They’re friendly, sort of amused. I know. I’m amusing. I’m ‘kinda’ like that.
A rather tall, dark headed guy comes over, leans on the rear of the truck. I turn around, smile, and say, “Well, there’s a charge if you’re ‘gonna’ share our shade.” The boys are watching. Mom looks up. Dad glances, too. Then he’s back to the text machine, (or it might be games, not sure.) So Tall Guy, looks at me, perplexed, both hands in his pockets, not sure what to say. (I realize he doesn’t know I’m kidding. He’s not catching on. But stay with me. This guy has some very redeeming qualities.) So I quickly add, “But it’s easy pay. All you have to give us is just a smile.” He puts on a glowing smile. “Ok, you’re in, all paid up.” The boys look quizzical, but approving. For sure, cause they both smiled. Tall Guy, with a slight lisp, slow speech, tells us that he works for the carnival, runs one of the rides. He’s cool. Said he’s from Kentucky, I think.
Next newcomers are a young mother back-packing a little girl child in a chair sling and pushing a little boy, older, in a stroller. She’s beautiful and the kids are both cute as buttons, both blonde with blue eyes. Ok, so Sean and Kyle are watching me now.
Not to disappoint them, I turn to New Mom and say, “Need to let you know there’s a charge if you ‘wanna’ share our shade.” Sean and Kyle are with me now. But I don’t know. They might just be waiting to see if the price is the same or something new. Or what’s the crazy old scooter lady going to do next?
So New Mom (sharp girl) says, “Well, OK, how much?” So I say, “Easy pay. Just a smile. B - u - t we’re ‘gonna’ need one each from all three of you.” I’m treading water here because Stroller Boy looks very, very unhappy. Big frown, creases in his forehead and chin tucked-in, tight lips. Yes, very unhappy. So New Mom, she smiles big. I look at Little Girl Child and she’s blank. But New Mom and I soon coax her into the sweetest little smile. “Okay, two paid up, one to go.”
Then I start working on Stroller Boy. He’s not giving. No, not an inth of an inch. I’m pushing a little, thinking, if I see a tear, I’ll just make a really sweet deal and give him a ‘free pass.’ No, he’s not giving. He is not giving anything, much less just a smile.
Suddenly, Tall Guy steps forward and smiles.
He tells us slowly, “Ith - O--K, - I – pay - for - him.” Big – huge - smile!
Everyone is watching.
Everyone is silent.
(And there’s no texting…)
Me, I’m totally awestruck. Takes me a minute to respond. (Imagine that!)
“Well, - Ok - then, - he’s in! We – are – all – paid – up.”
Cool, huh? I thought so. And it’s a true story, too. Made my day! It was better than all the sirens, all the bands, all the floats, all the dancers and the marchers, all the beautiful queens, the Shriner’s cars, all the confetti and streamers and better than the funnel cake. It was just a smile. And you know what? Sometimes ‘silly stuff’ really works. Now, my question to you, “Does this story remind you of anything?”
(Copyright - 2012 - Doris Ann Frey)
