Sights in the City
We heard the drums as we turned the corner and came upon a gathering in the park. An awesome explosion of color, such are the sights in the city.
The first thought was that The Village People had mounted a revival in a covidious time but the rhythmic prowess of the drummer - or lack thereof, indicated otherwise
They wore masks but hearkened back to gladiators or carnivals of yore. One felt that some dragons would be surely be appearing shortly, given how they were festooned with spikes and feathers. We watched from the side of the trail.
Many families with young children frequent the Boggy Creek trail, the morning walks are a good way to relieve the covidious monotony and get their energy spent. We do 2 hour walks on weekends. And so we settled to watch the strange happening with other passersby. It sounds better in French: cette histoire insolite.
The spell was broken when one of the warriors, the sun goddess as it turned out, stepped out of formation and approached the gathered onlookers. She uttered the dreaded and immortal spoiler: "Do you want to make a donation?"
The reaction was swift, it didn't need to be said out loud but it was a collective thought. "Don't come any closer, lady, it's a pandemic. You may look other-worldly, cool and all, but do your pagan routine or photoshoot over there". The curious watchers started to disperse.
"Yeah, yeah... We'll look you up..." Head nods. "Instagram... Facebook... Twitter... Venmo... Yeah, yeah" Mutter, mutter. Some, the mask wearers - only about 50 percent, this is Texas after all - adjusted their own masks reflexively. Others simply took a few steps back or aside. We all perform modern masquerades.
And what of carnival life these days?
Now this winter of our discontent
Has gone on long past than the month of Lent
Mardi Gras in New Orleans this year was a superspreading event
We're measuring the cost in excess deaths - a great amount.
We also know that after the earlier Sermon on the Mount
Came the reaction from Judas Iscariot, the young disciple
Our own Caesars obviously think they are nigh invincible
Free to discard the cautionary warning of The Mosquito Principle
— Herd Immunity
A sigh. The escape from our routine was over. The kids weren't impressed in any case, and had started walking away unbidden. We'd have to find something else to pass the time. We got back on the trail, we'd be home in half an hour. Back to life, back to reality.
Sights in the City, a playlist
A soundtrack to this note (spotify version)
- Sights in the City by Guru ft. Carleen Anderson and Courtney Pine
- Sun Goddess by Ramsey Lewis and Earth, Wind and Fire
- This Masquerade by Geoge Benson
- I can't go for that by Hall & Oates
- Masquerade by Alyson Williams
- Back to life by Soul II Soul
This note is part of a series: In a covidious time
File under: life, culture, observation, coronavirus, pandemic, covidious, toli
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