Member since:
June 9, 2006

How I Absolutely Astounded Even Myself!!!

August 04, 2008 12:43 PM EDT

views: 161 | comments: 64

What a weekend! It was action-packed and filled with lows and highs. I had been looking forward to this time for many months, ever since I moved to the city I live in, Rochester, New York, as I would be right in the middle of all the activity. It was the annual Park Avenue Summer Festival and the crowd didn't disappoint. 300,000 people were expected to enjoy the sights, sounds, smells and tastes with close to 400 arts and crafts vendors from around the northeast and Canada and a couple hundred food and drink booths.

Set-up began Friday afternoon and continued into the night, as displays were set up along a 20 block stretch of Park Avenue. I had a ring-side seat perched on my balcony three stories above the city's prime strip. The trucks, trailers and vans started pulling in and unloading their wares setting up tents and canopies, under which they would be selling the best they had to offer.

Spectators came rolling in to watch the construction of the biggest event this city knows. The excitement was building and all could hardly wait. More people attend the festival than the entire population of Rochester, which is a little over 200,000. I remained at my post even after darkness fell so I wouldn't miss a thing.
When I awoke Saturday morning, I was raring to go. I grabbed my coffee and back out to the balcony I headed to check out the final preparations in anticipation of the street being blocked off to vehicular traffic within the hour.

10 AM arrived and the people were already flocking into my neighborhood. I started counting as they filed past my home, but I lost track at several hundred in the first five minutes. I'll leave it to festival organizers to come up with an estimate. I made sure I had extra batteries for my camera because I knew I'd be clicking away all weekend...over 400 pictures I ended up taking.
I know I had perma-grin on my face and caught myself, many times, smiling ear-to-ear. This is what it's all about; people from all walks of life coming together in a family atmosphere to enjoy themselves and have a good time. The only ones who weren't loving it were the little birdies who come to visit my feeder. I knew they weren't happy campers by the way they sat in the trees out front screaming at everyone to go away so they could have their breakfast in peace. Get used to it guys or you'll be going hungry. The only ones brave enough to land and nibble were the family of sparrows that live in the rafters above my balcony. They're used to eating when I'm outside and they've come to realize I mean them no harm.
After a couple of hours watching from high above; I just couldn't take it any more. The odors from all the food being cooked wafting up to my nostrils were just too tempting. Since the crowd wasn't overwhelming yet, I grabbed my crutches and mustered up some courage to go for it and head down to street level to take a stoll and see what there was to offer. I descended three flights of stairs and met the challenge head on. I was fearful of being bumped into and knocked to the ground, but the excitement overruled my apprehension.

Dodging people here and there; I headed up the street. I got about a block from home and then it happened. No, I wasn't run into making me tumble to the pavement. There was a huge flash and a booming clap of thunder. The sky opened up with a torrential downpour. People were running everywhere to seek cover. I was bumped and pushed by those scampering past me but managed to keep my footing and prevent myself from going down. Run? On crutches? Ain't gonna happen! I gave into the fact I was going to get a little wet...an understatement. By the time I got back to my building; I was drenched through to the skin.
I climbed the stairs back up to my third floor apartment leaving a trail of water dripping off me as I went. I was so wet, even the money in my pocket was soaked. I stripped down and dried off and decided on another outfit to wear. In the half hour it took me, my building turned into a scene from the movie, 'Animal House'. Pretty much all of the other residents who live here are much younger than I am and when I walked back out to the balcony; it was packed with people. A table had been set up and a game of 'Beer Pong' had already begun. Coolers were sitting around everywhere and you could hear the 'pops' as beer cans were being opened. There wasn't a single seat left; nowhere for me to even sit; and I wasn't into standing around for all those ensuing hours to come. That was quite alright. At least they were all having fun. I decided to head down to the second floor balcony and was greeted by the same thing; filled with young people partying. No problem. I'll just go down to the first floor level veranda. That, too, was jammed with youthful revelers.

Sorry, Rob. There's no room at the inn today. The only place I could find to sit was on one of the two lower steps...where I'd be staring at the back of a tent. Not much of a view from there.
Feeling a bit of ire, I headed back upstairs to my apartment, where I sat sulking for the next several hours. I was most certainly in a 'mood'. My spirits were lifted later when my best friend, Scott, called to inform me he, his 'husband' and his puppy were heading down. I told him I'd be out waiting on the street for their arrival...since there was no place else for me to hang out. Standing out front of my building, I watched what was going on...as did many festival goers. The hoots and hollers from my place could be heard over the top of the crowd noise. I had already taken my hearing aids out, as the overall noise was deafening with the increased volume. This was one time I was glad I didn't hear all that well. The activity at my place certainly was attracting all kinds of attention as many festival attendees looked in that direction as they passed by; some pointing up, others ascending the steps to join the parties. It also caught the eye of the security force, as four Pac-Tac members stationed themselves out front with walkie-talkies and cell phones reporting their findings.

When Scott, Tom, and Dakota, the dog, arrived; they realized there would be no relaxing on my balcony, so they suggested we head up to one of the sidewalk cafes to see if we could find a seat to grab a bite to eat.

We arrived at Camille's on the corner just as one table was being cleaned off or we would have been out of luck...not an empty seat to be seen elsewwhere at any of the eateries. We placed our orders and spent the next couple of hours visiting and watching all those who passed by. While there, the festival ended for the day and the police patrolled up and down clearing the street so it could eventually be opened back up to traffic. Upon returning home, I discovered the street wasn't the only thing the police had cleared. Where did all the party people go?

The celebrations had been shut down and the doors leading out to the balconies were locked. Ahhh, it was going to at least be a peaceful night at home, though other gatherings raged on around the neighborhood as evident by the faint noise coming from those parties.
Sunday morning, the balcony doors were unlocked and I went outside to enjoy my morning coffee...and survey the 'damage'. What a mess! Nothing was destroyed but there were beer cans and bottles, paper plates and partially eaten food strewn everywhere.

That was in addition to the empty seed hulls my birdies had dropped all over the floor once the crowd cleared and they were finally able to come in for a landing and eat. Seeing how I was responsible for part of the mess, I grabbed my broom and proceeded to sweep up two thirds of the balcony, leaving the far end where most of the refuse was untouched. I don't mind clutter, as is evident by the way I have my place decorated, but I'm not into filth and messes.
Along about noon, I decided to go for it and brave the crowd again. I grabbed my camera and checked the weather radar before I headed out...clear skies and not a bit of rain on the horizon. No signs of any revelers invading, either. They were probably still sleeping off the prior day's festivities.

I headed eastward up the street six blocks to where the festival began; the longest walk I had taken up to this point since losing my leg.

Now, I had to turn around and go back, hoping I could make it with no place to sit and rest along the way. Upon returning to my building, I noticed something. I hadn't had any difficulty in making the trip...not one urge to take a break on my way. Hmm...should I? Let's go for it!

I proceeded to pass my home and started heading west toward the opposite end of the festival.

One block passed; then another...and another. Before I knew it, I had gone nine more blocks in the other direction.

I only realized this when I passed the liquor store I was sure I couldn't walk to. As luck would have it; they were closed.

No vodka for me today.
Now came the return trip and I was feeling good. I had the confidence I could make it, though I began to tire a bit when I was three blocks from my home. Push on, Rob, push on. You can do it. I was already feeling like a combination dancer and football player as I swayed too and fro trying to avoid people and bobbing and weaving in and out making my way through the crowd.

There were many bumps and collisions along the way, but I didn't go down once, though there was much repositioning of my crutches to keep my balance.

All the while on my stroll, my camera was clicking away, as I wrapped my nub around one of my walking poles for a bit of extra stability so the pictures didn't come out blurred.
I made it! I was back to my building, but I wasn't done yet. I had passed countless food booths along the way and the urge became too strong to not taste at least a few offerings.

With several being across the street from where I lived, I decided to use a little of that money I earned during Gather's Triple Points week to snag myself something to eat. A steak bomber sounded good smothered in onions...until I saw it was going to cost $8 for this little six inch sandwich. I wasn't about to pay $5 for a plain, old hot dog, either. I know Park Avenue is a wealthy neighbodhood, but I'm not one of its rich residents. I decided on a plate of Butterfly Fries; potatoes that are shaved and deep fried. They taste just like Wise potato chips used to before their recipe and way of making them changed a few years back. I just about crapped my pants when the gal told me I owed her $7...and I didn't find a one that looked like a butterfly!

I could have bought a ten pound bag of poatoes and made my own for a lot less. Ah, what the heck. It was a special occassion. I threw my cheapness out the window and went for it. On the way back to the house, I also stopped and bought a small piece of frozen chocolate covered key lime pie on a stick for $5 for Scott, since key lime is his favorite and the booth was closed when he went home the night before.

I'll just keep it in my freezer until I see him later this week.
Oddly enough, I had all the room in the world to sit on the veranda, so I took a spot there to watch things wind down.

I later learned the real estate company that manages my building had clamped down on the partying and any further large gatherings had been prohibited. Five o'clock came and the festival ended...but not the people. The vendors began packing up and tearing down, but the people continued to stream past.

An hour later, the police started cruising up and down with patrol cars and officers mounted on horses to get the crowd to disperse.

Finally, around 7:30, the people had thinned enough to open the street back up to vehicles, especially so the merchants could pack up and head off to their next venue. The Park Avenue Summer Festival had come to an end for another year.
It wasn't over quite yet, though; at least not for me. I still had to climb all those stairs to get to my apartment...and I was beginning to feel the effects of all my walking, especially in my arm pits and hands. I knew I'd be falling asleep early because I was plum tuckered out. I had covered a distance of some 30 blocks; a little over two miles altogether over the course of almost four hours of walking. That might not seem like much of an accomplishment to most. Who can't walk that far? Try doing it on crutches when you've never done anything like that before. It's like the equivalent of someone with two legs running a marathon. I did it, though! I astounded myself with the strength and stamina I mustered up. I didn't think I had it in me, but I guess I did. I pushed myself to the limit and was determined to succeed and enjoy all I could around me. I wasn't about to let this event pass me by without being an active participant. There were times I wanted to clobber several people with my crutches, but I resisted the urge. There was one time I had a crutch lifted off the ground and was close to rapping a lady who literally pushed me out of the way to get to the counter of a food booth...like her fat behind really needed something more to eat.

Don't let that bimbo ruin your day, Rob. Calm down.
      Let me tell you, I'm one sore puppy today. Just typing is painful, as even my fingers hurt from clutching the grips to my crutches for so long. It's taking a lot longer than usual to write this article; that's for sure. It's a good kind of hurt, though. I have the satisfaction of proving to myself I could go above and beyond what I thought was possible. I'm going to have no problem pushing myself to the limits once I finally have my prosthetic leg. Now, if I can just make it through today. As much as I ache, I've got to go out for yet another therapeutic walk; my 116th day in a row. I have to go to the bank, mail out my bill payments and drop by one of the stores. Alright, so it's going to be a little later than the time I usually head out for a stroll, but I'm going to do it despite being worn out like an old dish rag. If what I did yesterday is any indication; I can do anything! Just keep your eyes peeled for me. Who knows? I may be walking to a town near you soon.

(Take a look up close at some of the sights of the Park Avenue Summer Festival by clicking on the images to enlarge them. That's not all, either! I'll be posting more pictures throughout the week from all that took place here.)

view all photos

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