I had big plans for my lunch hour. A cup of tea, a Kinder Happy Hippo biscuit, a page turner (Heart Shaped Box by Joe Hill - I love that Stephen King's son decided to use my dad's name as his pseudonym), the park, a chair and a rock to put my feet up on.
I parked in my usual spot and found that a family was fishing off my rock which was okay - the kid was cute with his little fishing pole. I thought a picnic table would do just as well as a footrest but as I put my stuff down I heard something strange. Drumming. Insistent, consistent drumming.
I wandered to the other side of the pond, trying to escape it. Nope. So I got into my car and drove to the other side of the park where, for some reason, it was louder. And it was echoing.
Finally I just gave up which was just terrible and frustrating. I love my lunch hours at the park. When the weather is dryer and warmer, I like to spread out a blanket because for some reason a picnic lunch just seems to feel like it lasts longer than an hour. Some days I can't even read because the squirrels or the frogs or the blue jays are just too entertaining but it's always quiet. People strolling with their kids or walking their dogs, people planted here and there with a book in hand...it's lovely.
As I left the park I found the source of the noise. A man had set up FOUR DRUM SETS at the top of a hill overlooking the amphitheater. FOUR! FOUR SETS OF FOUR DRUMS EACH! I realize it's a public place but, really, who brings FOUR DRUM SETS to a park on a Wednesday afternoon, for Pete's sake?! Okay, maybe one set...no, not even one. A set of bongos to play in your lap, sure, but not four sets of four drums. I just don't get it.
To top it off, all of the searching for a quiet place to read caused me to forget about my tea which had steeped a bit too much and turned bitter. Yeah, bitter like me and my ruined lunch hour.
It may have been juvenile and only adding to the issue but...I laid on the horn as I drove by. Of course, I was paid back for this by the song that was on the radio, 32 Flavors by Ani DiFranco, the end of which sounded vaguely like the annoying guy and his four sets of drums. Nice.
What the?!
Posted by: Bertha | 04/17/2008 at 04:06 AM
I know this detail was totally not the point of your post, but don't you just love the Kinder candy? The BF sometimes gets me the big eggs (like a Leggs egg covered in chocolate) that have funny toys inside that you have to put together. They're crazy! have you ever looked at the website? you can get tshirts and stuff with pictures of those toys on them. Fantastic! uh, I sure hope we're talking about the same brand, otherwise I just sound nuts...
Posted by: Chris | 04/17/2008 at 11:53 PM
Kinder Eggs! My nephew loves them, but I've only seen them overseas!
Four sets of drums is just insane. Seriously.
Posted by: Annie | 04/19/2008 at 05:46 PM