random thoughts – Day 1,427 – (Monday) – dance party

The drive from The BungaLowell to Pawtucket Congregational Church is 1.1 miles with an estimated drive time of four minutes. Tonight, at the intersection of Mammoth Road and Riverside Street, right near the church,  there was some excitement. At least two police cruisers, a firetruck, and an ambulance were parked across the road on the river side of Riverside Street. Lights from the safety vehicles flashed and illuminated the intersection like a carnival. Traffic was snarling around the parked emergency vehicles. 

Ladder truck blocking the bridge.

The steps near the entrance to the church offered a not-too-distant view of the action, which quickly included another fire truck. Drivers in the traffic coming down Mammoth Road began sounding their horns, as if whatever was happening was carefully constructed and timed specifically to annoy them. Three point turns were executed and tires squealed as drivers extricated themselves from the traffic and retreated.

A cluster of emergency workers in reflective safety jackets rolled a gurney to the sidewalk. The ladder truck backed up and blocked the bridge and the ladder was extended over the sidewalk and towards the river while the gurney sat nearby at the ready.

A small group of us waiting to enter the building wondered what had happened. It seemed apparent that something had happened down by the river, but that was as far as we got with our speculations. I even checked the Lowell Facebook discussion group, but found nothing.

Dance party lights!

Inside the church's Fellowship Hall, the emergency lights from outside blinked red, blue, and white through the privacy film covering the windows, creating a dance club effect, which was perfect, as we were there for salsa class. Several of those in the class arrived late due to the event happening outside. 

Tonight, we started dancing with each other as leaders and followers and worked on partnered right turns. We rotated partners every minute or so. If I had known I would be touching hands with people, I would have at least applied some hand cream on my winter dry and roughened hands. It was kind of embarrassing that the hands of the guys I had to dance with were warm and soft and mine were dry and cold. Maybe I’ll bust out some proper 1940s gloves for the next class to spare the dancing partners.

By the time I left class, all the emergency vehicles had cleared and the traffic was moving smoothly. It was if nothing had happened and the intersection hadn't been a hub of emergency activity an hour earlier. Whatever that was.