I Wish I Were an Oscar Mayer ...

This past Monday, I attended the Memorial Day Parade in a neighboring community.  The drive to the parade was almost an hour away from my home, but I was not deterred since this parade would display the Oscar Mayer Weinermobile.  When I last saw the Weinermobile, I was ten years old so therefore this day trip was more of a reunion with a pleasant childhood memory.  During my first encounter with the Weinermobile,  I was gifted with the treasured "weinerwhistle" which remains to this day, one my favorite musical instruments second only to the kazoo.   Unfortunately, my parents didn't share my zest for the "weinerwhistle" since it mysteriously disappeared about one week later.  

All I wanted for this Memorial Day was to take a photo of the beloved Weinermobile.  My hope was to relive and reconfirm this happy childhood moment to see if it had any life other than within my memory.  Should the "hotdoggers",  the official title of those who travel in the Weinermobile, toss weinerwhistles or eight packs of hot dogs into the crowd that would be considered a bonus.  

With this in mind, I selected a strategic position behind two old gray haired ladies seated on lawn chairs in the very first row.  Later, this strategic choice would be revealed to be a failed assumption on my part.  Little did I know that their retirement home had substituted speed for their Lipitor on this holiday.  As soon as the parade began, they were up out of their chairs clapping, waving, and pointing out the choicest parade candies to the "youngins" all around them. To my suprise, they were the only folks who remained standing in the front row well after everyone else had returned to their seats.  Nearly forty minutes elapsed before their legs or perhaps the drugs gave way to sitting.  Just about that time, the Weinermobile entered the parade on the next block.  My wish for the day was about to be realized.

I am grateful that I could experience my reunion with the Weinermobile at a parade in rural Illinois in the presence of waving and shouting kids.   My first memory of the Weinermobile lies within the small secure neighborhood of a ten year old who lived during simpler times.  Would the presence of this brightly colored entree on wheels, still excite kids and adults alike who find entertainment only on digital screens?  For me, this photo confirmed that answer.

One of the reasons people love photography is its ability to preserve a memory.  This week's photo wasn't as much about preserving a memory as it was about reconnecting with my childhood once again to confirm that there are still kid like tendencies alive within me --- just like those gray haired ladies who thankfully are seated in front of me.  By taking the photo, I confirmed that I am not as grown up and packaged as I and others may perceive me to be.  

Today, I rediscovered that same feeling of overwhelming delight which I once experienced as a ten year old kid who pedaled his Ranger bike to a nearby supermarket only to encounter the Weinermobile for the first time.  Once again, I discovered that a brightly colored giant 27 foot long hot dog on wheels can still flood my soul with simple joy.  In a world with so many doubts and changes confronting us daily, this enduring connection brings great satisfaction.