Where Have All the Good Times Gone?

Most holidays give me the Willies. They seem forced, canned, and stifling. I like the day off, but I loathe the day. It reminds me of being part of the herd. It is the time to low, chew cud, and not be milked, branded, or herded. It is respite, but not true relief.

Yesterday, was Labor Day, and I had no expectations. I woke up in a humid steam bath. Instead of praising and reveling in this season, I cursed it, and took a shower. I took Pepito for a walk, but walking was such an effort. I daydreamed I was an terrestrial creature that decided the land was no place for me. I ambled to the shore, and walked into the ocean. I turned into a whale, and was finally happy. That was a pleasant thought for a few moments, then I woke up to reality, sweating and miserable. I drove home.

Arriving home, I was told that my ex-brother-in-law (we're still close) and his family would be coming over for the afternoon. It seemed like a good idea. It would be a chance to grill, which I love doing, and maybe, it would get my mind off the stickiness.

I set myself to the task of gathering Egg Plants, Green Beans, Cayennes, Cow Horns from the garden. I washed, cut them up, and seasoned them, then put them aside. Sweat was trickling down my face like little rivulets of prayerful angst in a sacred grotto. I went outside to light the fire. Being so humid, it took me three attempts before I was able to start up the coals. By the time the guests arrived, the food was cooking away, and I was quite satisfied in spite of being soaked like a much used sponge.

We had a grand time. We ate, recalled old times, talked of the present, mused about future, and we laughed a lot. It made me remember Labor Day's gone by when the family used to gather like it was breathing. These days, we don't mark the holidays with such vigor. They come, they go, and we say, "I can't believe it's already September." As the Kinks once said, "Where have all the good times gone?"

Yesterday, I found the good times again. They came in the form of people gathering to eat and share. They made me forget the humidity, and reminded me that, people are important. Yes, I am a member of "the Herd." I often loathe that name, but that's who I am to some extent, and from time to time, we all need to gather and to celebrate. It's not only delightful, but very essential.