I'll Take The Metal Detector, Panama Holidays |
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| Written by Matt |
| Monday, 12 November 2007 01:00 |
 Not long ago, when seated in a pretty outdoor café with a friend, I was asked "what's one thing you want?" I pondered the question for several moments and asked for some clarification but it got me nowhere. "Yeah, you heard me" she said. "What's something thing you've been wanting lately?" Yes, it was a question that I had entertained all my life, but oddly enough, no one had ever confronted me about it. I had never been forced to make a final decision, and for that reason, I may have spoken prematurely. "A metal detector" I said. "A really good professional metal detector."I spent the next day humming over my response. There were the obvious wishes that a toddler might say; things like world peace or chocolate or a new pony. But for a young adult, the question definitely caught me off guard and after some serious thought, I re-approached the subject and decided that, if I was to be granted this one wish, then others should be able to benefit from it as well. I'd decided confidently, "I'd probably go with more national holidays." It has been my long time belief that nothing bolsters happiness like a good old fashioned public holiday. As a child, I lived for the lazy afternoons when our family would get together in New Jersey for delicious food and cozy weather. This all before the males would eventually retire to the TV room to watch football and the females to schmooze (as they called it) over tea on the porch. Holiday gatherings invariably consisted of one or two fights, usually over something banal like how to load the dish washer properly. Theoretically happy times would be saddened by someone's cranky mood and those not involved would pretty much just make fun of the entangled parties. Yet in the end, everyone always seemed to take solace in the fact that while we may have been arguing, at least we were arguing together, under the same roof. For the larger, more important holidays, extended friends and family would fly into town, arriving at our door with whatever baggage or children they were responsible for. These holidays tended to be celebrated over a stretch of days, at the end of which everyone had pretty much had enough of each other and wanted to go home. Part of the appeal of such get-togethers was their infrequence. Not unlike the World Cup or a lunar eclipse, the beauty of holidays was characterized by the fact that they only happened every so often; a phenomenon explained in economics class as limited supply. One might suggest that if holidays were made more frequent, people might not enjoy them anymore. In Panama, this theory is thoroughly disproved and for that reason, I am confident the people of Panama would enjoy my wish for more national holidays as if they don't have enough already. The month of November in Panama is about as holiday-laden as they get, celebrating various fête-like merriment from coast to coast. Parades in the US, not unlike antique shops, in my experience have always been characterized by the motto look but don't touch. In New York City, for example, you'll see the occasional drunkard stumble into 5th Avenue at the Macy's Day Parade, but he's generally tackled by security before he reaches the floats. In Panama, it's quite the opposite. Walking amidst the paraders is perfectly acceptable and for me, this is great because it makes you feel like you're part of a team. Beach towns fill up with groups who barbeque steaks and sausages and drink copious amounts of local beer. The atmosphere is very much family-oriented and cheery, until the days thereafter during which everyone's hung-over and annoyed at the world. In addressing my new wish to friends, they agreed that while yes, the month of November in Panama does have excessive holidays, what could possible hurt with a addition of a few more? And in hindsight, it was silly of me to be so greedy and selfish in my choice of a metal detector. Had I been challenged though, I would have probably defended it with a pledge to donate anything (valuable) I might find to charity.
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| Last Updated on Monday, 11 August 2008 21:59 |
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