Saturday Morning……Lost

I never get lost in Podunk. I have lived here most of my life. I can show you were Sears used to be when the store was downtown. And Penney’s and JJ Newberry’s and Woolworth’s. They are all gone now, or out at the mall. And I remember when people thought Mr. Ruddy was crazy for building his store out in the “boonies” on Mooney Blvd. It was just a two-lane road that headed south to Mooney’s Grove, the local park.

It is a beautiful, sunny, spring day in Podunk. As I drove down my street, my neighbor, Ron, was magically turning his front hedge into gum drops. Elsewhere, folks were in the middle of bigger projects, filling pickup truck beds with tree trimmings and other ephemera. I saw a man, holding his coffee mug, just staring at his yard. I can only imagine the great things he was planning. I can’t wait to see what he does.

Winter is over and Podunk is coming back to life. The trees and flowers are blooming, lawns are green, and yard sale signs are sprouting up all over. I drove west from my house to the school where my grandsons play baseball. I was late for the little one’s baseball game, on Field 6.

As I drove down the street that is due west of the school, there was no place to park. Cars lined the street on both sides. To the east, the school grounds were alive with baseball games. To the west, the park was the hub of activity for soccer games. Families, ice chests, chairs, umbrellas and strollers everywhere.

I walked the path that leads to the main field. Each baseball diamond is labeled with a number. I found Fields 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7. Can you see an obvious omission? I needed to find Field 6. I fumbled in my purse, trying to find my cell phone. I must have left it at home. And so, I walked. I walked and looked and listened.

I heard parents and coaches: “Good job, buddy, you got a piece of it!” I heard players: “Come on, Jack, you can do it!” I saw kids playing baseball and smaller kids playing with their toys. There was a blanket spread carefully in the shade of a tree. On it, three little girls were enthralled with a Barbie dollhouse. You know, the kind that folds up and has a carrying handle? Or maybe you don’t know….

We’re in that seasonal transition. Some people were wearing sweatshirts, pants, and UGGs. Others were in shorts and tank tops, and flip flops. You know, flip flops are the California State Shoe. We wear them all year. And only dorks wear them with socks.

As I walked around looking for my grandson and family, I was warmed by the sunshine, enjoying the sights and sounds, and living in the moment. I wasn’t upset because I couldn’t find anybody. I was thrilled that I am still able to walk great distances without any problem. And I enjoyed the walk.

Since I simply couldn’t find anybody, and there was a likelihood that the game was over anyway, I decided to head back to my car. I brought the older one, the Explorer, in case I bought some flowers at the nursery. I always carry an old quilt in the back and keep the back seat folded down. I headed for Home Depot….

Again, I was entertained by the sights, the sounds, and this time, the smells. Orange trees blooming, carnations, and roses, to name a few. I could hear birds chirping and doves cooing. I looked up and saw the nests in the rafters. Mama birds were feeding hungry babies. Nests were built precariously above the cement floor of the nursery. That would be all the motivation I would need to learn to fly…

The flowers were absolutely beautiful. Abundant blooms, plush foliage, pungent, pleasing odors, and lots of variety. People walking up and down the aisles, loading their carts with good intentions, and plants, and steer manure and other lovely things. Neighbors greeting neighbors. I saw one of our OB/GYN physicians speaking to an OB nurse…..they were comparing the plants they were both purchasing.

Yet, with all that variety, and all the lovely things to choose from, I left empty-handed. I know just exactly what I want and they didn’t have any. I will look elsewhere. And what is it that has caught my fancy? The lowly potato bush. I have seen them in my travels as a home health nurse. My next door neighbor has one that hangs over the fence and beautifies my humble yard.

I actually bought a potato bush last year. I was at Target, cutting through the nursery to go into the store and there it was. It said: “take me home” and I did. And I neglected it, too. In fact, I had to decide eventually: 1) throw it in the trash; or 2) stick it in the ground and water it. It was nothing more than a brown stick with dead leaves when I decided to give it another chance. I planted it behind a huge nandina, knowing that no one would see my poor little neglected plant…..

And now, it is blooming in glorious shades of purple. It will continue to bloom all summer and into the fall. That is why I want more of them. I will plant them along the back fence, neglect them, and they will make me smile every time I look at their beautiful purple flowers.

So, I got lost and ended up losing a whole Saturday morning. I have nothing to show for my efforts: no baseball stories, no visit with my family and no potato bush. Not exactly the stuff of the Great American Novel…..

But definitely the stuff of a pleasant Saturday morning in Podunk….