My memory bank of hilarity added another entry when my daughter finally had one dose too much of the ridiculous level that our society has reached. On a Sunday morning a package was dropped off at our front door. I called out “Delivery!” to her (I knew it was for her as she is a frequent online shopper). Less than five minutes later she came out with her phone to show me a photo sent from Amazon which she mentioned as “how stupid humanity has become.” The picture was of our front porch with the box sitting on it. The caption read, “What do you think of this photo?” Below it was a space for comments. She didn’t mince words when she typed, “I think this is the stupidest thing I have ever seen in my life.” And submitted it.
I am accustomed to, yet not usually supportive of her negativity-based sarcasm. However, this time we both burst out laughing at her truth. We were doubled over for a good minute. We agreed that this new delivery by photo technique was likely the result of Amazon needing photographic evidence that this item had made it to our front porch, I suspect generated by lawsuits from customers not receiving items or clever philanderers who make a living from our “gotta have it now, materialistic culture” by grabbing packages off of people’s porches and reselling what they find. Probably on Amazon.
Passover/Easter weekend was a blast, spent with family-like friends that included a special three-year old’s birthday party and my first trip ever to the Big Apple. Central Park was beautiful and relaxing with its throwback horse and carriages and variety of flora. It was a welcome respite from the concrete jungle, and since we had the toddler with us, a playground stop was mandatory. From a bench by the sandbox with full views of the slide, swings and climbing apparatus, I was surrounded by giggling. Next we headed in search of food and found a halal truck on a busy street corner. My choice was a delectable spiced lamb salad that I ate while sitting on a tiny garden retaining wall happily people watching. From there we headed to the Vessel (photo). A freshly opened tourist attraction, this shiny open structure of symmetrical staircases resembled a human ant colony. Fascinating! After dinner at the Shake Shack, we took a brief, “have to do it” tour of Times Square from our car. I was aghast at the glitz, glamour and overwhelmed by the crowds. It made my hair stand on end, yet I was glad to have the quickie tour just to say I had been there. It was a great preview visit, and I will go back to see Ellis Island, a Broadway show and walk the High Line.
On the way home, the GPS rerouted us from the main highway to a rural journey through Finger Lakes country. The spacious countryside hills gifted us with miles of gorgeous scenery. When we were redirected back to the thruway heading west, the Universe orchestrated perfect timing for a spectacular and lengthy sunset. As the perfect circle of the yellow sun sank into the horizon, it cast reflections of flame onto the sides of the trucks on the opposite side of the thruway. Hues of every shade of purple and pink and pale orange graced the vast horizon before us. As we motored past, the ever changing foreground brought new silhouettes of barns and trees by the minute. We barely spoke, entranced by this surreal natural gift before us. It was something that could never be duplicated on film. As usual, Mother Nature took my breath away, and I savored every moment of something I wanted to remember forever.
Shout out to the ambitious and friendly young man who came out to our car when we pulled up to the pump at his one-man operation in Homer, New York and surprised us with, “Would you like me to pump that for you?” With somewhat disbelieving, nostalgic smiles on our faces, we let him.
May you always be blessed with doubled-over laughter, endless hospitality and stunning sunsets.
Love, Mary