Walk with me through Elverson at midnight

[lumberjim]

I close my front door. It's an old door, and it doesn't seal very well. There's a crack in one of the glass panes. Seven steps to my front gate, which opens inward, creaking on its iron hinges. The latch is tricky to line up right, so I usually don't bolt it as I close it behind me. I look to the right. There's the antique shop across the street, and the little tiny used car lot. Gene's Machines. I go left.

The sidewalk is uneven and choppy. It's narrow, too, and bordered by the street. There is no strip of grass like an avenue. I pass my next door neighbor's yellow victorian, and stroll down the slight grade, headed East. A small full service gas station across the street has dueling coke and pepsi machines like bookends on his garage bay door. I duck under the low hanging branches of a huge pine tree that grows in a front yard. I'm in between the pools of light that have spilled from the yellowish streetlamps. I pass Stoltzfus builders' office. A huge brick queen ann in meticulous condition. It always seems empty to me as I glance in through the windows. Next, the Church leans back from the street. A bright spot light shines upon the faces of the stones and glints on the large stained glass windows. The signs says something about service times and lambs.

The grade is steepening as I go further along, and the houses become less noteable. There are two on the opposite side of the street that look like they've been there much longer than the others. Stone, like my house, they stand out among what is mainly a parade of Victorians and victorian twins. As I come to the intersection at Park ave, I can see Tim Hennesey's northern office. It is the size of a photomat. I think it used to be the train terminal. Back when the trains came through here and made this town. The tracks are gone now, but signs remain. There is a sign from the fire company that says "chicken BBQ mem day 1p-till" The old historic bank sits back behind what is now used by the hardware and supply company accross the street as a storage yard for stone, mulch, pipes, and larger items. The supply co. has another pair of soda machines out front. I usually cross the street at this point and go to the post office, which is next to the supply co.

As I'm walking, I'm thinking of things, and worrying about things, and planning things. My mind is busy, and I walk along quickly. After passing the post office, though I notice that I become more calm of thought. I turn right down Pine St. The street lights are gone for a space, and the trees. I get my first view of the full starry sky. Tonight the moon is a crescent sliver. The stars shiver silently at me. I hear the crunch of my feet in gravel that is scattered about the sidewalk. I'm entering a planned development that accomodates people with horses. The entire scheme revolves around 3 rail white fences and paddocks. There are two large irrigation ponds that look like they would make excellent skating rinks in the winter if not for the constant supply of warm water that flows through keeping the ice thin. The road bends left, passes the YMCA, and, in another pool of dark, I come even with the main horse corral. There are 4 horses that reside here. Occasionally, they are in the field this late at night, and i stop to look at them. They watch me cautiously. I wonder what they're thinking.

This is a warm evening after a hot day. There's a slight breeze blowing, and I can smell the new growth and cut grass. As I walk along the sidewalk across the street from the horses, I feel at peace. The thoughts and worries have subsided, and I dream aimlessly. Sometimes I listen to music, but tonight, I want an empty head. I like this walk. Turning left, I start down a hill toward the barn. Looking at a side street, I remember the night that I walked past here, and some kids had run several wide layers of industrial strenght saran wrap between the stop sign and the street sign, forming a transparent barrier to traffic. I wonder if anyone hit that, or if they saw it and cut it down. Neat trick. Coming to the bottom of the hill, i begin to hear the bullfrogs in the second of the two ponds. They sound like bass notes played by amateur tubaists. BLAP! BLAP BLAP! and interspersed, a lighter, shorter note pops up, causing an increase in the rate of the deeper notes. I assume that sound is the lady frog. There must be seven or eight bulls. BRAP BRAP BRAP.

I stop a while and listen, leaning on the white rail fence. It soothes. Looking up, I see a wisp of cloud sliding past the moon, temporarily illuminated by it's white light. the cloud looks like an inchworm. Turning, and walking toward the horse barn, I think of the town I live in. I'm new here, but I feel right at home. The name of the town sounds like a Farmer's name. Elverson. I grew up about 10 miles away, and it still feels familiar, even though I never came here as a kid, except to drive through once in a great while. This town has promise. It also has a past. There are big plans to revitalize , as they have been awarded a large state grant, and it is close to a turnpike exit. I walk past the barn, and a horse snorts at me from within, slicing through the silence. I jump a little from the sudden noise. Up the hill I go, between two fields, a fence on either side of me. This is my favorite spot.
Sometimes the horses are right at the edge of the fence, and I can see the starlight twinkling in their eyes as they consider me. Tonight they are on the other side. The rest of the walk is uphill, and I increase my pace. I do this for exercise, after all. I walk across a little wooden foot bridge and am back on paved ground at the bottom of a steep rise back to main street. The trucks roll past, blowing great blasts of wind by me in their wakes. PJAX trucks, mostly. They must be located nearby. Graco is here, too. They make strollers and car seats and things for kids.

This road leads to Lancaster the way I'm headed, and Valley Forge is behind me. I am retracing my steps at this point, passing the Post Office on my left. I walk the opposite side of the street on the way back. This sidewalk stinks, too. Almost home, I cross the street at the church, and do the rest of the way on my side of the street. I figure it's about a mile and a half or two. Sometimes I keep going past my house and make another loop around 'Livin Good' Park. They have a triple Gazebo that was donated by the local Gazebo manufacturing company, and a Playground and some ball fields. This is a good place for my kids to grow up.

[elSicomoro]

Good post. How long does it take for you to commute down to Chadds Ford?

[zippyt]

Sounds like a nice walk !!! Nice post !

[lumberjim]

takes about 45 minutes on the way in, 35 on the way home