Pumpkin Remains
Do you know the ‘alternative rock band, The Smashing Pumpkins? They were formed in Chicago back in 1988 and are still around as far as I know. I thought of them first thing yesterday morning – and I’m not even a fan of their kind of music which is described as containing elements of gothic rock, heavy metal, dream pop, psychedelic rock, progressive rock, shoegazing (who knew?) and electronica.
In my Pollyanna way, I’ve always chosen to believe that the “smashing” part of their name was in the British sense of the word, as in extraordinarily fine, at least to their fans and followers. But when I saw the mess of ruined pumpkins along Territory Road, my thoughts of pumpkin smashers weren’t nearly so charitable.
I wanted to blame the night critters – bears, maybe – but there was no evidence of scat or paw prints. And, though the destruction was somewhat random, it was haphazard in a human sort of way – one smashed pumpkin in this group of three, another down the street in that grouping. At our end of Territory Road three large ones had been smashed, all widely separated from one another. I didn’t walk the village to see how the north end had fared. I was too bummed out. Last year, pumpkin thieves; this year pumpkin vandals. What the hell?
Social Insecurity
There were no seeds visible so we assumed the birds got there before we were out and about. Maybe. I wondered if the rest of the mess would be appealing to any animals or if we would eventually have to clean it up ourselves.
I was still pondering when the barbershop quartet, Social Insecurity, arrived to ready themselves for the noon Water Music Concert at the church. We had offered our house as the Green Room as we do every year – not so much out of the goodness of our hearts, you understand, but because we love getting acquainted with the celebrities who roll into town.
Gary, Don, Marty and Bob are a delightful foursome from the Eugene area. They recently placed fourth at the International Seniors Quartet competition held in Florida and wore their medals proudly. We loved their performance as did the SRO crowd at the church. They were absolutely smashing in the best sense of the word!
So, I guess I could sum up by saying yesterday was another day of the good, the bad, and the ugly – and not in that order. Thank goodness.
Well this is disheartening. Makes me sad and a little concerned that there is someone in O’Ville (I can only hope not) that would do this. Chair thieves, now vandalism. I am making daily trips to check on Bradley’s house and I also cruise the others I clean as well. But I can only do so much. Looks like a neighborhood watch might be in order.
No. It’s not anyone in Oysterville. After all, there are only a dozen of us and we all have a serious vested interest in keeping our town pristine and pure. Someone(s) coming through town in the wee hours — “for a lark” perhaps. Another sad reminder that the world is full of jerks.
We know the vandals but not their identity. Anne was out walking Espy [Espy is the Kepner dog – no relation to the human Espy family.ed.] about 9:30 and saw it happen. A group of young people riding very fast in a pick up truck came streaking down the street narrowly missing trees and swerving to hit as many pumpkins as they could as they went. Anne jumped behind a cypress to avoid being hit herself. She said they missed running into the tree by inches. Where are the parents of children with these kind of values. Smash and destroy seems to be their mantra. Gladly not all children are raised with these values.
I’m glad Anne is a fast jumper. I wish she could have gotten their license number.
Well, that blows the nemesis of the Great Pumpkin theory. The Grate Pumpkin and the Gyrate Pumpkin are now cleared as suspects.
I have to say you folks in Oysterville have a unique problem. Somebody doesn’t like pumpkins but nobody doesn’t like a a group of singers. All’s well that ends well. And the birds got something out of it.
Sorry, I did not mean to imply that someone IN Oysterville was responsible. I meant to say someone COMING into O’Ville doing this. Hope this will come to an end. Glad Anne and Espy are ok.