The day of the Pig Roast was hazy, hot and humid, it was day two of a heat wave bearing down on the North East. This was not a good day for any kind of gathering as once again the mercury was pushed to a hundred degrees in the shade. I didn’t need to worry about the heat in the shade though, with mulch in the driveway and landscaping to be done before friends arrived next weekend, I was on a mission. Having started at 6:30am to beat the heat I knew I’d have all the work done before the blistering heat of high noon arrived. Of course by the time high noon arrived I was on my third change of clothes, the chafing was starting in, the fantasy of my sons coming to my aid had long since faded and the steaming pile in the driveway seemed to be daring me to continue... so I did. By 3:00pm I was walking around like John Wayne, having just dismounted his horse after a 3 days in the saddle, all chafed and blistered in the nether regions.

A shower, change of clothes, slow walk to the car with Barb and we were off to the Sons. We were late... but we'd made it. All I could think about as I got there was “how do I walk without moving my legs?” Within minutes all that was gone as friends with smiling faces greeted us and an ice cold beer was put in my hand. Everywhere the sounds of music, conversation and laughter filled the air. You’d catch someone’s eye on the Great Lawn or in the Pavilion and they’d return a smile, a nod, a wave, a wink.

The smells that filled the air from the BBQ pit to the cutting tables were mouth watering. Corn, garlic, potatoes, deep fried turkey seasoned to perfection, barbecued pork, hot dogs, burgers, beans, greens and well, you get the picture. The cooks, the heroes of the day, who had stood over coals and fryers preparing food for all were smiling to the last baked man. As I looked at them memories of gardening began to creep into the out edges of my consciousness. It was time for another beer. 

Duly inoculated I continued on my stroll past the smiling pork to the horse shoe pits.  Here there was plenty of competition as men at both ends took up position and launched there shoes. The thud or clink that followed would lead to a nodding or shaking of heads and perhaps a little ribbing as scores were calculated and  recalculated. “Good try Joe, does your husband throw?”, “Were you aiming for this post or that one?”, "Hey, I'm glad you're on their team"'

Walking from the pits to the stage you passed by the kids playing in the pool. They didn’t notice the heat at all they just squealed with joy as they leapt into and out of the water. One way to stay cool. Going into the club by the back door I saw another way, two kids sitting on kegs to cool down… glad I wasn’t drinking Bud! And though my dreams of winning big in the pool for the Belmont were shot down only slightly faster than my plans for where I’d put the kegerator should I win, it was in all, a good day. I ended it sitting in the shade laughing and talking in the company of friends and thinking to myself… “Every day should be like this.”

Photos provided courtesy of Jeff Schuld.