One Elephant on Parade

Every year just before the Memorial weekend, my Mayberry town gears up for the greatest Yard and Garage Sales events ever seen in Southern California. It's not that everyone gets together for a singular event, rather, everyone makes extreme efforts to out-do the other neighbor and have the biggest load of junk in their yard for a grander attraction. Not only do they go crazy with the amount of junk, they give away Hot Dogs and Soda as a one-upmanship to their neighbors.

People from neighboring towns, flatlanders, and foreigners all come to see the insanity. In fact, this has become such a popular event, even the stores in town have gotten into the action.
This makes for "traffic" on our tiny little street that has no sidewalks.

Our small town is so small, we have one grocery store with highly inflated prices, two gas stations (one on either end of town), a general store that sells things like notions, hallmark cards, and fudge, and as of recent years a McDonald's. Oh, and a Bowling Alley.

In seven years of living in this small town, I've seen plenty of things these stores will do to attract attention and at the same time, make my jaw drop. But nothing, nothing could have prepared this small town for what a new store on our "boulevard" had to offer.

There we were, sitting in traffic the likes we've never seen here in Mayberry, trying to get to the next block to see what great junk we could procure, when the Lollygagger shouted "ELEPHANT!!!!!"

My Mother turned to look at her in the back seat believing she had gotten too much sun and was delusional. She smiled at the Lollygagger, saying "no honey, that was a dog that crossed the road, not an elephant." "No, Lau Lau, look. There's an Elephant!"


When she saw it, my mother's only words were "Oh, my."
I, on the other hand must have been really slow on the uptake. My mind could not, would not register what my eyes were seeing. She was right. There he was, the size of a small island, with a lei on his head. An elephant. I nearly wet myself and was an inch from rear-ended the car in front of me. This of course, explains the traffic jam.

When I could finally pull off onto a side street, we went to see the smelly lad who was very relaxed and friendly. Children and adults, Lau Lau included, were fascinated. All hands in a three foot radius were reaching to touch him. I managed to think of my camera and got a few pictures, but what I wish I would have photographed was the traffic, the wider crowd, the Sheriff Deputies by the dozens issuing fines and then posing for pictures with the towns newest friend. That's were the real story was I think.

That was the best day of Garage Sailing we've has so far. Bizarre, but great. Other than more junk in my garage, lI can't wiat to see what next year brings!

The End!