It was the 13th of October, on the last night of the After Dark In The Park event at The River Legacy Living Science Center. My marshmallow pulled into the designated parking area early. The sky was full of clouds and they were about to dump their moisture. Rain fell steadily on my front windshield as I waited for the shuttle. I was glad that I had brought my raincoat and umbrella. After thirty minutes I arrived at the center and checked in. My voluntary assignment was to be a roaming captain. The gates opened at 5 pm. With 45 minutes to kill, I walked directly over to the face painting area. I sat down next to a teenage artist with long hair the color of wheat. Half of her face was painted like a pumpkin, it was quite spectacular.
I whispered, “Please make me a butterfly.”
After about twenty minutes, I got up to leave. Her design framed my eyes, which made them stand out. I drifted to my first location. When I arrived, the supervisor gave me minimal instruction then she left to have her break. Parents and kids were everywhere. It ended up being a cool clear night. Little white lights ran the perimeter of the pathway. The soft light they emitted increased the visibility of the forest floor. All around you could hear Katy Perry’s song “Roar” play as children took turns doing karaoke. I went to games, the pumpkin patch, crafts, the bounce house, and face painting. If you did not make it out this year, I highly recommend attending next year.
