It was Saturday morning, Phil, Eric & Adam had just finished running the 10K. The weather was a beautiful clear day. I don’t recall if it was zero clouds but I think it was close. We collectively did some stretches and then piled into the van to head back to Eric’s house in Groveland.
I am not sure how many people out there in blogland have siblings but us four guys are brothers in every since of the word. As passed a Pepsi distribution plant and Phil, who had previously seen the place on the trip to the race, let out an emphatic moan/sigh of “Pespi” which started us in a conversation about Pepsi Marketing overseas that led me and Adam into a debate/argument. Now for those who know us, this is not atypical. Adam & I will be saying the exact same thing just differently and that will keep us occupied for a while until someone gives up. Now during this somewhat heated conversation, I looked and Eric was sitting there in the driver’s seat just smiling. I don’t know if he was smiling at the fact that life is normal because Adam and I were arguing or if it was the fact that he was oblivious to the entire conversation. Eventually Adam & I realized that we were both right and moved on. (I still say he did not listen to what I was saying.)
We arrived at the Larson home with a game plan of divide and conquer. Eric had a soccer game to coach about an hour and away. So Eric’s mom and Paul, Eric’s brother, were going to be our host for the rest of the morning and afternoon. We showered and loaded up to head back to Morton for the Pumpkin Festival Parade. Imagine if you will, Auburn University tailgating for a parade because that is exactly what it was. People had set out their lawn chairs starting around Tuesday to claim their spot for the big parade. I must admit I was skeptical about the quality of this small town parade. But add to the AU tailgating the concept of Mardi Gras and that was the Parade. Each float, group, organization or individual had candy to gently throw (yeah right) at the children who had lined up along the street. The parade was amazing. Bands from three different counties were there and to my utter astonishment, an elementary band was there, in uniforms and everything. Talk about starting them young. Pekin (another close town) has a band contest on Saturday of the festival so most of the bands were Junior High or middle school. But it was exciting.
The parade was about one and a half hours long but well worth it. Phil was accused of stealing candy from a kid, though I personally did not see it. We grabbed the lawn chairs and made our way to Eric’s grandmother’s house. I had met Grandma Ruth before but this time I saw her in action. We arrived at her house and she promptly lead us to the closed in porch to where a feast was laid before us. Granted it was not just for us. She had fixed food for about 20 relatives who all lived in the area and joined them for the after parade feast. There were sandwiches, deviled eggs, a vegetable tray and a myriad of other tasty dishes. At the end of the buffet was a box of donuts. Here it was the first pumpkin item of many that we would eat that day, pumpkin donuts. Grandma Ruth works at a confectionary so her work had made these. They were delicious, I ate one and a half. We had just sat down outside when here comes Grandma Ruth with two pumpkin pies in hand ready to make sure we each had a piece. She reminded me a lot of both of my grandmothers. She was epitome of love for her grandkids and she had also invited a few friends to join us who perhaps did not have any family. But it was not just the those triats. Her mannerisms reminded me a lot of my Grandma Duer. In fact, on time I called her just “grandma” instead of Grandma Ruth. I don’t think she minded, for she treated us all as if we belonged to her.
As dinner wound down, I joined the majority of the Larson clan in the screened in porch as they told wedding funnies and other stories that had us in stitches. The Larsons love to laugh and they equally love to pick on each other. I feel like part of the family when I am around them. They include me in their stories and look at me while they are regaling memories. I was not in the house of strangers but in a house of familiar people who don’t care about when we became friends but just focus on that we are.
Meanwhile, Adam and Phil were still outside. I don’t know the conversation but Kim (Larson youngest) was there so it is almost a guarantee there was laughter. I joined them as they were talking to one of Eric’s cousins who is in school I think at Bradley. Kim has just started her freshman year there so I gathered they were talking about the differences of schools and such. But just as in the porch, they were included, they were part of the community.
Steve Larson (the dad) had to leave to get to the airport so we all loaded up the van and headed back to Groveland for some rest till Eric returned. Adam and I took a nap while Phil continued to hack away at his homework. Eventually Adam and I ended up on the swing in the backyard staring at the lake. Adam and I, though we had argued just a few hours ago, sat and talked about life and what our futures hold and what impact our past and present had on those around us. I love moments like that. I love being around crowds but give me quality one on one time with someone I cherish and I feel more loved at that moment.
Eric, and then a little later, Phil joined us and we had our first chance to be brothers and check up on each other. It was not deep sharing but I felt a sense of peace when we were all together and Eric started talking about life since Auburn. The weather had remained beautiful and the lake was calm, except for the random splash down of a goose or a jump of a fish. Paul, Jill (Eric’s girlfriend) and Kim joined us after a while and we all talked and joked around. A few of us decided to play apple baseball practice. Watching 3 “grown” men trying to hit an apple with a small bat was quite funny.
From the moment we entered Grandma Ruth’s house to the when the last apple was pitched, it felt like home. It was not a home of permanence but it was home, a safe, secure place of God’s presence. There was no prayer time; no reading of scripture but worship was taking place. Each of us had spent the day receiving and giving blessings according to our gifts and talents. Perhaps it is like this everyday and I was just still enough to see it occurring. I don’t know.
Next: The actual Pumpkin Festival
For those that read my friend Kara's blog, you are aware of the Annual Gingerbread building celebration held each year by the wonderful Commander family who "adopted" the Band and Kara into their family last year.