Tuesday, July 22nd 5:36 pm
Today I received a formal welcome to the island. I’ve been welcomed wherever I’ve gone in the last two weeks by the very friendly people who live here but today was different. I felt oddly like Dorothy when the mayor of Munchkin City (in the County of the Land of Oz – aka: Munchkinland) gives her the key to the city. However, in that nano-second flash of connectivity between the movie and reality, something made me wonder … and it got me thinking so that when I arrived home I had to do a bit of research. Though I always presumed she got one – I didn’t remember Dorothy actually receiving a key to the city!
And well, she didn’t! What she got was a nice song and welcome from ballerinas, a giant lollipop from some tough guys, a promise for a bust in the Hall of Fame and though pretty, red, and sparkly – (silver in the book by Lyman Frank Baum) – a used pair of shoes off of some dead chick.
What I got today was nearly as good. And while I didn’t have to drop a house on some witch, I didn’t get a key to the city or have ballerinas or tough guys serenade me nor was I promised a place for a statue or given (darn it anyway) sparkly shoes or slippers … but I did get a grand welcome. Complete with a bow! (Not a gift wrapping bow – but a bend at the waist, holding my hand, bow – like one does for royalty)!
I was treated to lunch today (by two wonderful new friends) at the Prima Bistro – a lovely little cafe with an outdoor patio above the Star Store (cute in its own right) in “downtown” Langley. I sat overlooking the passage and even though it was gray and we couldn’t see the mountains in the distance – the water was so blue and so flat and it was just so gorgeous and the view overlooked the water, the islands and the mainland in the distance. NICE!
I truly feel, on a daily basis, that I have been dropped down in the Land of Oz! This is nothing like Illinois. And we aren’t in Kansas anymore, either.
Anyway – after gobbling up my (enough for 2 people half portion) delectable shrimp Caesar salad (with enough anchovies on it to make me think cats might follow me home) I decided to wander. And so I did.
I picked up some fried chicken for dinner later (at the Star Store deli) – I’ve had the chicken twice and not a day goes by, since first having it, that I haven’t thought about it! It is SO good. Colonel Who? And then I just wandered. I went in to the Chocolate Flower Farm shop that is the cutest place on earth and smells totally of chocolate – soaps, lotions, candles, edibles, plants! It’s lovely – as is Marie, the owner. I didn’t see her but bumped into her later on my way out of the post office.
And that’s where I bumped into Mark, as well, the local Chamber of Commerce guy who gave me information earlier. I wandered into a few shops … got an iced coffee at the South Whidbey Commons bookstore/coffee shop that supports locals needing a new skill. I stopped at the Pilates studio (since I don’t bend, I thought it might be a good idea to get started with a class) … met the vet tech at the new vet’s office and got some names of pet sitters … and stopped in at the darling library to linger in the kids’ section for a bit and marvel in the remarkable space they have.
It was when I was walking up the street from the library taking in THAT VIEW (as the entire town has a water view) that I noticed a man across the street waving in my direction. I thought for sure he was waving to someone behind me because I don’t know any men in this town.
And that is when the welcoming began.
He called out to me – “You have a wonderful smile.” (And no this wasn’t one of those crazy people who stand on a street corner. At least, I don’t think he was one of those crazy people who stand on a street corner!) And then I felt like an idiot for walking down the street like, apparently, a smiling, drooling idiot or the Cheshire Cat! But, we got to chatting and I said I had just moved from Chicago and I guess that’s why I was smiling because I’m just so glad to be here. It was then that he took my hand and bowed, with a grand sweeping gesture, and stood back upright and simply said, “Welcome to Langley. Welcome Home!”
He made my day. And that was so much better than getting any key … to Munchkin City or anywhere else!