A New Record!

There are moments when I love this town. Of course I like living here, otherwise we wouldn’t have moved to State College. I still get energized by that odd blend of electricity and beer that spices the air when the students come back in the Fall. I get a kick out of the buzz of downtown so close by, and the fact that Jasun and I can walk to a restaurant or an array of on-campus activities at a moment’s notice. But instances when my heart swells with love for this town like it’s my best friend or family member are more rare, so I tend to stop and appreciate them when they occur. And like a friend or family member, State College is most precious to me when it reveals a characteristic of itself that is unique, something that I believe (truthfully or not) to only be possible here in Happy Valley. I had a moment like that last night.

First, let me say that I am not proud of what I am about to admit: I threw out an antique that had been given to Jasun and I by a friend (who will remain nameless for this story, because hey, it could be any of you!). It broke my heart to do it, because this item was beautiful, and fit perfectly in our home, and I loved it, but….it stank. It smelled so badly that the stench had started to attach itself to the walls and other furniture items and was slowly, stealthily creeping throughout the rest of the house. As Jasun colorfully put it, the antique “smelled like an old dead man’s breath.” When I realized last night that the stench had invaded the family room three rooms away, it was the last straw; the thing had to go.

It took about 5 minutes to haul the Offender out to the curb, attach a “Free” sign to it, and turn on the porch light so passersby could see the treasure in their midst. It took approximately 6 minutes for me to change out of my work clothes and come back downstairs. Passing by the dining room bank of windows on my way to the kitchen, I glanced outside to see – nothing! No more antique! Gone! It had taken a total of 6 minutes for someone to come by, claim it, and haul it off! A new record! You’ve got to love a town filled with students and locals who are that efficient at Curbside Shopping.