"From this hour I ordain myself loos'd of limits and imaginary lines, going where I list, my own master total and absolute, Listening to others, considering well what they say, Pausing, searching, receiving, contemplating, Gently, but with undeniable will, divesting myself of the holds that would hold me."
Walt Whitman (1819-92)
"When I look back now over my life and call to mind what I might have had simply for taking and did not take, my heart is like to break."
Akhenaton (d. c.1354 BC)
And now, the current weather, from some random person we pulled off the street:
Friday, May 12, 2006
Much Ado
pa-rade Function: noun Etymology: French, from Middle French, from parer to prepare -- more at PARE 1 : a pompous show : EXHIBITION 2 a : an informal procession b : a public procession c : a showy array or succession 3: what drove past me today
It was the van parked on the side of the road with "Vote for Elloitt" sprayed on the back that was the first sign that things were getting ready to get very wierd.
I was on my way to my daughter's shop in downtown Richmond to speak to her. But when I got onto Boulevard, one of the main streets here, the road was packed. I had no idea how packed it would be.
Within a block, the sidewalks were filled with people who seemed to be waiting in line. And a lot of them were holding "Vote for Elliott" signs.
Who the heck was Elliott, anyways?
I got close to the Diamond, the local ballpark, and by now the crowd was maybe 20 people deep, overflowing into the road. There seemed to be a great number of young teenage girls. Some were holding homemade "I love you Elliott" signs, and there were "Virginia is for Elliott Lovers" banners.
Boy, this was strange. I hate being this out of touch with something that was obviously a cultural experience.
But wait a minute...wasn't Elliott a contestant on "American Idol?" Seems like I had heard that on the radio. As I continued down the road, I noticed that the crowd had gathered all the way down, waving their signs.
There was even a man in a yellow chicken outfit advertising car washes.
When I arrived at my daughter's shop, I found out that it was indeed someone named Elliott from American Idol all this was referring to. There was going to be a parade and he would sing the national anthem and toss out the first pitch at the baseball game that evening. Hey, it was a parade, I figured I would watch.
You could tell right where the parade was ahead of time because there was a news helicopter hovering overhead, following the parade as it neared. I could hear sirens, and soon I saw them down the street.
The parade arrived.
First, there were four patrol cars. Occasionally they would let go with a siren or two.
Following them, there was a van from a local radio station, advertising "the most hip hop and r&b" and they had a DJ sticking out of the sunroof. I think he was one, he had a microphone. He didn't say anything, but he waved and did his best to look cool.
Then there was another vehicle from another radio station, pretty much the same as the first.
After them came a BMW convertible with three people sitting on the back. The one in the middle was grinning and waving. By the crowd's reaction, I could tell that was "Elliott."
That was it. The end. the whole shebang, so to say.
And I coulda had a V-8...
If you're holding out for universal popularity, I'm afraid you will be in this cabin for a very long time. J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
