Pile it On

Thursday, April 19, 2012

6:50 alarm.
Collette shut it off…
“Was I yelling in my sleep last night?” she asked OLeif.
“No. Why?”
“I was angry.”
“Were you at a game?”
“No. I missed my plane to Finland.”

Celebrations kicked off with OLeif in the kitchen – bacon and eggs.
As Collette proceeded to pack up for the day’s festivities, Puck apparently poked his eye with the fighter jet from his happy meal the previous day. He stormed into the bathroom where Collette had just opened the make-up bag…
“Mama! Can I see out of this eye?!”
“Yes.”
His face immediately brightened…
“I can see out of this eye, Dad!”
It was time to go.
“Come on, Dad,” Puck prodded, in his best cool-tough-guy voice. “Let’s get out into the nice old world of the United States of St. Louis.”

The first stop involved spring water, a popcorn-filled pan, and a visit by the bakery. The selections were many, but Puck settled on a personal-sized box of blue and red swirl cake wedge iced in Argentine blue, where he informed one of the bakers of his birthday situation and was immediately awarded an M&M stuffed sugar cookie.

The Arch was lighter on crowds that morning, probably due to the traffic of red cutting over to the 12:45 game a few blocks away.
Before walking into the museum, a woman dressed in royal blue as a news anchor, followed by a cameraman, immediately approached OLeif to briefly interview him regarding his opinion on texting.
The boys took their trip to the top, while Collette sat by the wide green under a hot sun tempered by high wind beneath the monster stapled into the earth. It was so enormously colossal, it always seemed a little unreal, like a sky shadow.
After half an hour of burning under bright sun and high wind, the bells of the first cathedral west of the Mississippi stroked twelve as Collette moved herself towards the entrance where she watched pillbugs scuttle on the steps.
The boys joined her, Puck with a foldable Arch cube in hand, and a hustle down the stone steps to pet one of the carriage horses stationed across from the chicken and fries stand and brass-and-winds band performing by the street.
As they walked back to the car under shade trees beside a quiet lake, Puck headed into the ground cover…
“Puck, come back,” OLeif ordered.
“I have to go into the bush!” he declared. “I’m burning with shade!”

They passed by the game just switching over to the second inning, packed red risers to the skies. An unfortunate Wainwright loss. The poor boy from Georgia seemed next to tears in his post-game interview.
Worse, though…
Puma was on the 15-day DL.

Trader Joe’s was a blast-through – blackberries, red pepper, salami, brie, pretzels rolls, mini peanut butter cups, and maple cookies.
“So what are you all up to?” the checker asked them.
“Celebrating his birthday,” OLeif nodded to Puck.
“Well, happy birthday!” he replied cheerfully. “You know… on your birthday you get a little chocolate. Let’s see what we can find.”
Puck’s face – shined up like the sun. The friendly checker helped him select a caramel-stuffed chocolate bar from the wood shelves by the register.

Forest Park was full of cool winds and spray from the cascades and fountains below the old World’s Fair Pavilion where they picnicked on the thick lawn. “Happy Birthday” was sung, accompanied with fat orange pillar candle – unlit due to wind and unreliable lighter. Puck just giggled.
He hurried to the fountain to toss a dime into the cold water…
“I wish for a jewel box and a brother!” he declared, flipping in the shiny coin, then turning to Collette. “Will I get them now?”

Faust Park called on the way home for a two-dollar whirl in the carousel. Puck was now old enough to slip on horseback himself and take a solo ride. As he ran up the walk, Collette stopped him, due to “cake face”.
“They will laugh at me,” Puck said matter-of-fact. “And I will explain to them.”
The ride was a success, the little man clutching the gold pole of his white horse for the twenty-plus rings around the track.
“Thanks!” he called to the three ladies behind the candy-souvenir counter as he took off again, saying to OLeif…
“I got a little Merry-Go-Round sick…”
But not too sick to skip out on the playground where warm and cool winds mixed in the shade over rubber tracking. OLeif joined him, tramping from one jungle to the next in his highly-complimented cowboy boots.
Twenty minutes later, and back on the road for a few last stops and the final gorge of the day – Chick-fil-A.

“So, did you have a good day, bud?” Collette asked the worn-out tike as they approached the Daniel Boone Bridge.
“Yes. Except… not really.”
“Why is that?”
The sweaty young man pulled at his jeans sticking to his legs…
“’Cause I got underwear not away from my bum.”
“So that ruined your day?”
“Yes.”

“Cars 2” was shown in the basement.
Hugs and kisses before bed.
OLeif brewed a pot of tea to counteract the opulence.
Storms were coming in.

Decadence, complete.