Our Town – May 2023

The Soupster questions his sanity.

The drive-thru coffee line looked pretty long, thought the Soupster, but based on past experience he knew it would move along quickly. He was always amazed at how the drive-up baristas could be so warm and friendly AND efficient – all at the same time.

As he waited, the Soupster used his little notepad and favorite gel pen to start a list of errands.

Then, just as he was getting into his list-making groove, out from the coffee shop walked a giant shrimp juggling a hot drink and a scone, both in his right claw.

The Soupster scrubbed his eyes, quickly looked around and wondered, “Is anyone else seeing this?”

The pumpernickel-colored Subaru ahead of him drove off. He got his 12-oz. house coffee with 1 packet of raw sugar – then proceeded on to the Post Office.

“Oh, yay,” the Soupster said to himself as he removed his mail from the box – there was a package slip amongst the magazines and pleas to donate money. He joined the line, humming to himself, and looked forward to enjoying his green apple jelly beans, which he could never find here in Our Town.

Gazing out the post office window, where moments ago had been brilliant sun, he now saw a mini cyclone of hail. Oh well, it was that changeable time of year.

Then, though the flurry of pellets, he saw the front door open, and a gargantuan green dinosaur walked in, schlepped over to the wall, and dropped a letter in the slot marked “All Other Mail” – then pivoted 180 degrees and walked out.

This time, the Soupster looked frantically on every side – surely, someone else was seeing this??? Or perhaps he was just starting to lose his mind?

Next stop was the auto store for a new pair of windshield wipers, and then, the hardware store for a package of boat toilet paper and a box of #2 screws.

Fortunately, no more strange sightings.

Okay, he was starting to feel less discombobulated now. Maybe it had just been some trick of the light, refracting itself through the ice crystals of the hail pellets. Maybe he wasn’t going crazy after all.

The Soupster headed back downtown, dreaming of the fresh mushrooms and feta he would get to put on his dinner salad. He gazed down the road. Oh darn, the light ahead had turned red and there was a little bunch of traffic backing up.

“What’s going on?” he wondered. There was no ship in town, so why the traffic?

“Oh, no…” he moaned to himself. Was that, could it be… more giant animals in the distance?? Then, as he got closer, the figures became clear.

He knew them! He knew these characters!

It was “Smokey the Bear” and then came “McGruff the Crime Dog” arm-in-arm with “Woodsy Owl.” They were all crossing the street (in the middle of the block, of course).

Starting to suspect just what was happening, the Soupster made a left into the driveway for Our Town’s Main Hall. And there, big as life, right in front of him, was a giant crab holding a sign:

1st Annual Our Town Mascot Convention