Block Party

A fine way to end September. Bring together all the neighborhood families for food and talk. Obviously not all could attend but still enough families turned out this drizzly night to re-establish the neighborhood.

Of course we were all on our best behaviour and about as agreeable as we can possibly be but that’s not too bad either, at least not occasionally. Stories were told, tales were spun and the work-a-day-world was left far behind.

Big events of the evening were real hot dogs, thick hamburgers and a special “signature chili” to put over the whole mess. Lots of chips and crackers, veggie dishes and hummus, and cheeses, and catfish patties. About as good as it can get. Then - there were bottles galore of home-brewed wine. I sampled the elderberry wine, some white grape wine, mango wine and persimmon wine. Better than the hot dogs.

As night fell, a fire began and it attracted a few moths, one bald-faced hornet and a whole host of kids. So the evening slowly drifted away, just like the summer had already done. It had been a good party and this chilly evening wound up on a warm note. It had been a good summer too, and some of us could dream away into the dancing flames already anticipating the autumn and seasons of celebration now arriving in our neighborhood.

© John Womack, 2008. All rights reserved.