Editor
I am beside myself with glee that the top line on my calendar says, “October.” I will remain beside myself with glee next month, as well. In fact, the three of me would now sing as a trio celebrating autumn, were it not for the fact that the original me is, perhaps, the only person in the history of church to be asked not to sing in the church choir. That really happened, some 35 years ago. I thought the scar would be gone by now.
No matter. I am seldom scarred by anything during fall. Fall is to the seasons what Blue Bell is to ice cream. It’s spring without the wind. It’s football weather – at a football game. It’s seldom too hot or too cold, too rushed or too lazy. Goldilocks, no doubt, loved the fall (although I’m not sure I should spend much time applauding someone who gave rise to the notion that porridge is a taste treat).
Oh, what the hey! It’s fall. Let’s go eat some porridge!
While we’re at it, let’s go eat something fried at the State Fair. Better yet, let’s go on a quest to find something to eat that isn’t fried, at the State Fair. While we’re searching, let’s ride that really big Ferris Wheel with our honey, hoping that this is the year we get stuck at the top when the mammoth wheel ceases its rotation, so we can view fall all around us.
If we squint really hard, we’ll likely be able to see River Legacy Park to the west. And we’ll smile, because we believe River Legacy Park provides Arlington’s ultimate salute to autumn. The colors of the leaves, the wildlife scurrying hither and yon, the trails that seemed so daunting during the summer but that are just perfect during this time of year … Now that we’ve put a check in the “Eat Some Fried Food at the Fair” box, let’s take the pen out again and mark off “Truly Appreciate River Legacy Park.”
While we’re appreciating, let’s pay some homage to Caelum Moor, as well. And to every linear park in its vicinity. And to high school football games – any high school football games that pit Colts against Vikings or Tigers against Wolves or (whatever school you support) against (whatever school they support).
And let’s support not just the guys in pads but the band members and the cheerleaders and the drill teams and the throngs that share our notion that the songs sound better and the yells seem more emphatic and the dances are more precise when they’re done in concert in autumn.
Speaking of concerts and autumn, let’s make plans this month to take in a show at Levitt Pavilion. I did just that last month, right as fall was about to come out of its shell, and it was one of the more entertaining nights I’ve spent in recent history.
For the record, I even sang along to one song the band Blue Water Highway was performing.
(Please don’t tell my former church choir director.)
