Spring (Spring pt.1)

Everybody in Easterling knew that the Spring Equinox Festival was a huge deal. There were speakers, food caterers, open shop sales, game booths, and awards! When I showed the security guard my Festival ticket and entered the gates, I wasn’t too surprised to see practically the entire town in Harold James park. Still it was a breathtaking sight to see, what with all the various and bright flowers and hundreds of booths set up around the parks. I could smell the pork saltimbocca coming from Jerry’s BBQ stand. Every year my best friend, Kathryn McAnton, and I would go to Jerry’s booth and pig out on all of the good eats. We stuffed our faces with jalapeno pork chops, parmesan chicken, baked lemon ribs, and for last we walked around the park with our pork saltimbocca in hand. It was a ton of fun! One year I had puked on the Cranium Jumper because I had so much BBQ. Let me just say it wasn’t pretty.

 Now as I look around the park filled with many happy people milling around, a sudden twinge of guilt seeps its way into my chest. In just two months I’ll be leaving the quaint town of Easterling for the big city, New York. It was a tough decision to make, going to a prestigious art school to pursue my dreams or staying home in the town I love with all my friends and family. I chose to go to New York, but I haven’t told Kat or the rest of my family. The only souls who know my decision are my parents. They said that whatever I chose would be alright with them, as long as I was happy.

And I was. Sort of. Okay, not really, but that’s because it’s a bit hard to up and leave a place where all your memories were formed. If I leave, pretty much the entire town will be heartbroken, except maybe Alexander Green, my arch nemesis. I know basically everybody in town. Like for instance, Mrs.Brewer, the town florist, has her flower booth right beside the pond. I go over to her booth and purchase a bouquet of lilacs. 

“Enjoy the festival, Anna Banana!”, Mrs.Brewer says.

I smile at her,”I will. Thanks, Mrs.B!” 

Anna Banana. It’s what everybody in Easterling calls me. When I was little, my elementary school had a play one evening. It was a play about eating healthy and I just so happened to be a banana. After the play, we all came back out on stage to take our bows. Our theatre teacher was a little kooky, so she made us do a little dance and say our names afterwards. It was downright embarrassing. Well, at least for me it was. I had originally planned on doing the shuffle, but I slipped. The crowd erupted in laughter and I could hear people say stuff like,”So adorable. A banana split.” and “I get it! Banana split because she’s a banana.” I ran off the stage, but kept slipping. The laughter just kept growing louder and louder. Up to this day I’m known as Anna Banana by the entire town. Later I came to find out that they thought the slip was planned and I was just being comical. I was not. So now, when I hear the name Anna Banana it makes me smile to myself for a multitude of reasons.

Just as I leave Mrs.Brewer’s flower stand, I hear my name being called out.

“Anna! Anna! Over here!”

I look in the direction the voice came from, to see my best friend waving at me like a mad person. In her free hand she also has a bouquet, but instead of lilacs she has sunflowers. My favorite.

I head over to talk to my friend,”Hey Kat! What’cha ya got there?” 

She stares blankly at the yellow bouquet in her hands.

“This? These are just some flowers for a friend.”

I grin and play along.

“Really which friend?”

Kat pretends to be in deep thought.

“Well, her first name is Anna and her last name is Hawkins or maybe her last name was Banana.”

I laugh.

“You found her and she also has some flowers for you too!”

We laugh together and exchange bouquets. Every year at the Spring Equinox Fest this is our ritual. We buy flowers from different flower booths, pretend we're looking for each other, and then we exchange gifts. It never gets old.

“Are you ready to experience fun like never before”, Kat asks.

In return, I say,” Yes I am! Let’s hit Jerry’s,”

We race to the smell of smoke and Jerry’s famous BBQ sauce. My mouth waters and I can see Kathryn practically drooling. Our number one rule of being at the Spring Fest is that we don’t do anything until we eat something. Never explore a fair with an empty stomach. That's are motto.

Kat and I both order our first round, bacon wrapped jalapenos for me and jalapeno popper cupcakes for Kat. All of Jerry’s BBQ appetizers have jalapenos in them, it’s what gives his customers a kick and wanting more of Jerry’s awesomeness.

“Hey girls! Ready for another year of festival fun?”, asks Jerry with a smile.

“Definitely!”Kat and I both say.

Every year Kat and I ride the same rides and try the same booths. I wonder if there is anything new this year.

“Anything new this year Jerry?”

“You’re in luck Anna Banana. There is a new food booth called Green’s Greekery and a new ride. I think the ride was called Galactic Gravitron.”

Kat grinned ear to ear. For years she’s wanted a Gravitron ride at the Spring Equinox Festival. Now that she has just that, I already know what’s coming.

“Anna we have to go on that ride!”

I decide to play dumb,”Which ride?”

Kat’s eyes light up with excitement,”The Galactic Gravitron of course! It will be so much fun!”

I groan inwardly. Since we were eleven during the spring this Gravitron ride was all I ever heard about. Just listening to Kathryn talk about it made me nauseous. I did not enjoy rides that sucked me to the mats pinned on the inside and spun 24 rpm in less than 20 seconds. Not that I’ve ever been on this ride. Call me illyngophobic, but I do not like the idea of being spun around for 3 whole minutes. 

I look up from my basket of bacon wrapped jalapenos and into Kat’s pleading eyes. She knows I don’t like rides like this, but still her eyes beg me to go on this one ride. For her. I look down again, then I look back up and face Kat with a smile.

“So, where do we get in line for this Galactic Gravitron?”, I ask Jerry.

Kat jumps up with triumph, nearly spilling her basket of jalapeno popper cupcakes,”Yes!”

Jerry smiles too,”The ride is actually set up right next to that Green’s Greekery booth. It’s right by the bike trail.”

We thank Jerry for the food and directions and head for my misery and Kat’s excitement. We don't even get to finish our appetizers and we are going on one of the top rides of death on the list. Well, at least on my list. I guess things are just changing. It’s totally fine if Kat and I break our number one festival-going rule. Kind of. 

Going on this ride is the least I can do. I gave in because I felt guilty about my decision to go to New York. Going on this ride with Kathryn would show her that I still care for her. I do care. I really do. So when I pay for both of our tickets and step up and into the Gravitron with Kat, I smile at her.

“You ready, Kat in the Hat?”

Her smile is so big it looks like it hurts, but she says,”I was born ready!”

With that we strap ourselves onto the mats. I fasten the buckles and tighten the straps. There is no way I’m going to fly off of this thing. The ride clerk comes to check everyone's straps and buckles are secure. When the clerk got to me, he took one look at my straps and laughed. I don’t know why he did, but he did. I guess he thought me strapping in for dear life was just hilarious. 

He left and soon I could feel the vibrations of the machine picking up. The ride started to spin. Then it started to rock from side to side. Now it’s spinning around in full speed making my mouth open wide and exposing my gums to the humid air. Beside me Kat was screaming in delight and enjoying every minute of it. I tried to relax and smile, but I felt my face contort into what must have looked like I was constipated. I was not. I just close my eyes tight and pray I don’t puke.

After the ride Kat and I get off. Kat is so ecstatic, bouncing around like she had 3 liters of coffee. I on the other hand am dizzier than a Hanukkah dreidel.

“I’m hungry.” Kat says suddenly.

“Same. We barely even got to finish jalapenos from Jerry’s.”

“I know, we broke our own rule.” Kat says mock shameful.

We look around the park until we end back where we started. Right back at the Galactic Gravitron. I don’t know why we came back here, because Kat knows there is no chance I’m getting back on that death trap. But then again here we are. Standing by the death trap.

“We can try that new greekery Jerry mentioned.”, Kat suggests.

I frown to myself. Eating at Jerry’s BBQ is our tradition. Our ritual. Our religion for God’s sake. Except for when it comes to dessert.

I glance to my right to get a better view of the greekery. There isn’t a long line, maybe seven people or so and the line is moving fast.

I sigh,”Okay, let’s try some Greek food!”

I say this with as much enthusiasm as I can muster and it turns out it works because Kat is bouncing straight toward the line. Leaving me to look at the back of her curly auburn hair.

As we wait and line I smell hints of thyme and maybe nutmeg and my stomach rumbles. I’m really hungry. Finally we’re at the front of the line. And my stomach drops to the floor. There standing behind the booth is none other than Alexander Green. He is no longer smiling, instead he is scowling. At me. I scowl back. I glance over at the woman who is looking between us, totally confused. I smile at her and change my tune. The lady, maybe mid-forties, has wavy brown hair like Alexander’s and dark green eyes also like Alexander's. She must be his mother. Just great.

Kat must sense my tenseness because she orders for us.

“We’ll just have two pastitsios.”

Alexander's mother smiles warmly at her,”Coming right up, sweetheart.”

“Oh and can we also have two chamomile basil iced teas, please.” Kat asks.

I guess the woman didn’t hear her because she didn’t answer.

Kat slides a glance at Alexander. He sighs and rolls his eyes.

“Sure.”, he says sarcastically.

I roll my eyes too. I mean, this is what he signed up for. Right? Or maybe his mom dragged him here, but she doesn’t seem like someone who would force their kid to work on the day of the Spring Equinox Festival. Then again, I’ve only known her for, like, three minutes. Hardly even know. Alexander comes back with our drinks and asks,”What brings you two, to Green’s Greekery anyway?”

“We were hungry.”, I say flatly.

 Alexander’s mom comes with our orders and my stomach rumbles loudly.

Alexander smirks,”Obviously.”

I suck in a breath and hold back my smart remark. I don’t want to be rude in front of Alexander’s mother. Instead I smile my sweetest smile and take the pastitsios from her and give her $30.

“Darling, you overpaid me. Here take twenty back.”

“Oh no, keep it. You have such great customer service.” Alexander scoffs at my last sentence, but I continue to smile at his mother, I really want her to have it. I mean, it must be tough raising such an arrogant kid for 17 years.

“God bless you, Angel! My name is Aurora, by the way.”

I stick out my hand for her to shake,”My name is Anna. Anna Hawkins.”

"And I'm Kathryn McAntoc, but everyone calls me Kat!"

Aurora comes over and envelopes me and Kat in a warm hug and behind her I can see Alexander scowling even more.

“Are you two friends of my Alex?”, she asks.

Before I can answer Kat does,”Yes, we go to the same school and are all juniors.”

Now it’s my turn to scoff. I am certainly not Alexander’s friend. In fact I am the complete opposite, but Aurora doesn’t have to know this.

“Wonderful! Tomorrow it would be splendid for you two to come over for lunch. You are both such sweet girls.”

Oh no. Lunch at Alexander's is the last thing I want to do. I look over at Alexander and he is smiling. An actual ear to ear smile. It would be a nice one too, except when he opened his mouth and said, "I think that’s a great idea Ma.”, it had a sinister tone to it.