Let It Roll! Scearcy About two years ago, as I was headed to a friend’s studio, I saw a sight that has stayed with me. I was at a stoplight, at the top of a hill when I saw an elderly woman on one of those motorized personal scooters. A small boy, fresh from school, stood by her side. They had paused on the downhill slope of the sidewalk. It was easy to see the bond between the two. Perhaps it was grandmother and grandson or special aunt and nephew but whatever it was it was delightful. The little boy climbed onto the ladies lap. They looked at each other and threw their heads back in laughter. The ladies’ hand went down to the side of the cart and with casual audacity, she flipped a lever. They began to roll down the hill faster and faster. The boy had his hands on the wheel and the grandma had both hands in the air like on a roller coaster. My mouth was open. My heart pounding. Angry honks let me know the light was green. I raced to the bottom of the hill and pulled over into a bus loading zone and stopped.I barely got turned around in my seat and they whizzed by with faces alive and eyes wide with wonder. They jumped a curb and hit a ramp dead center on the other side. The scooter rolled across two yards and stopped in front of a disheveled home. Immediately, a young woman came onto the porch, her fists on her hips. She was not happy. Soon the left hand was waving in the air to make her point. She pointed at the boy and he came to her. They disappeared into the house but not before the young man sneaked a smile at the lady on the scooter. She feebly pushed herself up and holding on to the porch rail made her way to a comfortable chair on the porch. No doubt, that chair bore her name. I went on about my day but I could not get that image out of my head. It inspired me. And still does, on dark, dreary days I think of that thrilling ride and what it must have felt like. Life! Existing in that house could not have have been easy, life in that old body had to be hard, but she flipped a lever and let it roll. Hands held high in the air, she created a thrill for herself and that young man. She defined life for all who cared to see and experience. Over the next two years, every time I visited my friend, I drove slowly past that house. Often the scooter was parked in front yard and the lady sat in her chair enjoying the day. She sat there when it was eighty degrees and she sat there when it was twenty. I drove by today. The scooter was on its side and looked like it had not been moved for a while. The familiar chair was no longer on the porch. Time had moved on and a special lady was now part of history. I mourned. Here was a lady that had inspired me. A black, elderly, crippled lady who had shown me that sometimes you’ve got to flip the lever and let it roll, no mater what. But I had never said thank you to that lady. I had never told her how the image of her and that boy tearing down that hill had lifted my spirits on hard days. And now, that opportunity was gone. I am not one to repeat mistakes. So, to all of you, my friends and acquaintances, thanks for your inspirations, your smiles and your laughter. I read on line of your doings first thing in the morning and the last thing at night. I am inspired by pictures of your cats, your dogs and your children. And, by your incredible audacity to flip the lever on life and let her roll. Thanks! And I hope today, for each of you, it’s all down hill! Scearcy
Posted on: Thu, 31 Oct 2013 14:54:15 +0000
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