A Family Outing

 

All of the families began arriving at the park around mid-morning. It was to be a day of fun followed by the main event later that night.  

​William Barber, everyone called him ‘Will,’ was only eight years old and was here for the first time, and was looking forward to all of the fun his father had promised. He had even brought his football and hoped to get a chance to get in a game of catch.

​Will’s father was gone often but never on Greentown’s Annual Family Day.

​His mother chatted with some of the other ladies at the outing sharing the latest gossip as women tend to do.

​His sister Camille was more of the loner type who sat by herself sketching a butterfly.  

​Before long a football game got underway between fathers and sons, a game of touch, tackle would have been too hard on the younger boys.

​At games end, Will’s team, playing with his father had won by seven points.

​They then sat down to dinner and pleasant banter.

​“Soon dad?” Will asked.

​“After dinner,” his father said.

​Will turned and watched men throwing logs and boards together to the bon fire around which they would all gather after dinner for the festivities. ​

​For dinner, he had eaten a large cheeseburger with chips and a large orange soda, same as his father, he always tried to emulate him. 

​The meal ended before long and Will felt a burst of energy that could only happen from a child experiencing an event for the first time.

​“Light the fire!” someone yelled.

​A flaming rag was thrown atop of the kerosine soaked pile of wood setting it ablaze.

​The onlookers gathered around roaring their approval.

​“First Wave!” came the same voice that had commanded the fire to be lit.

​One side the first group hurled the books in their hands onto the fire.

​“Second Wave!” the same voice roared again.

​The next group then tossed their books in the fire making the blaze burn even higher.

​“Third wave!” shouted the voice one final time.

​This was the group to which Will and his family belonged. His father and mother each threw a book into the fire, his sister then followed suit.

​“Go on son, through it on,” Will’s father told him.

​Will looked for the book and then threw it on the fire.

​“Good job, Will. I’m proud of you,” his father said beaming.

​Will’s chest swelled at his father’s approval. It was a pleasure to watch the books burn. He cast his eyes to the book he had thrown into the blaze by some man he had never heard of named Wells and as the fire consumed the book the title could be briefly seen…The Shape of Things to Come.