My sister (who still lives in the area) went camping this weekend and my mom is out of town today. Which leaves me to entertain myself all day. Luckily, Frankenmuth is the Land of 1,000 Festivals, so there always seems to be something happening in town. Today I left my mom's house, and within minutes saw plenty of tents set up around town. There is an art/craft show here this weekend, so I browsed through it for a while. Then I crossed the street and shopped for a while in the quaint (overpriced) shops of the Riverplace. Didn't buy anything, because I didn't need a personalized keychain, a riverboat tour, or a pound of fudge (though the chocolatey breezes were horribly tempting). I opted to walk back to my car.
Walking past the Bavarian Inn Restaurant on Main St, I passed Fischer Platz, where Linda Lee and Wild Bill were entertaining Hofbrau-sipping patrons with some good old polka music. Most people were drinking, eating, laughing, and clapping along as they sat under umbrellas, seeking shelter from the harsh midday sun. Howeer, one couple (appearing to be approximately 80 years young) took to the dance floor. The tall chap and his tiny little wife were spinning and 1-2-3-ing their way around the makeshift dance floor as though they were the only two people in Frankenmuth. I noticed them dancing and stopped to watch... for the duration of 3 entire songs! As a former resident of Frankenmuth, I admit to having scoffed at pedestrians who stopped to watch the local entertainment; I would rather have been caught dead than be caught watching some Bavarian Inn entertainment. And yet, here I was, awed at this couple showing off their mad (and well-rehearsed) polka skills.
It wasn't just the dancing. It was the way they moved with one another. Don't worry, I'm not getting lewd. On the contrary, I'm actually getting a bit sentimental. Mr. and Mrs. Polka were dancing in perfect harmony, all the while looking at one another. Not once did they look at their feet, nor did they look at their surroundings. To this couple, it was very clear that the only thing that mattered was being with their other half and spending time doing something that they both (clearly) loved. This seemed like a fabulous match... had probably been going strong since the beginning of time. This man completed this woman, and this woman completed this man. Yes, this was love.
So I popped in to the Platz, ordered some French fries (the only vegan option on the menu) and a water, grabbed some brat sauce to dip my fries in, and sat down at an unfortunate umbrella-less table to watch Mr. and Mrs. Polka and their perfect harmony out on the dance floor.
Sure enough, no sooner had I ordered my food and taken a seat than the dancing couple also decided to sit down. Not only that, but Linda Lee and Wild Bill ended up taking a 20-min break as soon as I sat down. No matter, it allowed me time to sit down and blog about the couple.
Granted, I'd only just witnessed a few minutes of them dancing, but this couple looked as though they had it all figured out. What young woman doesn't dream of having someone like Mr. Polka -- someone with whom she can do the things she loves, and together do them so well that strangers are unable to walk by without staring? Someone with whom she will move in perfect harmony for decades to come? Someone to whom she can cling when the rest of the world seems to be spinning? Mr. and Mrs. Polka knew love, and they were displaying it for all of Michigan's Little Bavaria.
I'd made decent progress on my fries and brat sauce (and in perfect Lanie style, splattered some bright red brat sauce right across my lap... in white shorts, of course) and the ice in my water glass had succumbed to the brilliant rays of the sun when Linda Lee and Wild Bill took to the stage again. They once more entertained the crowds, she on her accordion and he on his fiddle... the perfect setting in which to be writing. I was smiling to myself, waiting impatiently to see Mr. and Mrs. Polka command the dance floor once more after their brief intermission, and to my dismay, a group of preteen Little Leaguers (in town for some tournament, no doubt) rushed the dance floor in an attempt to Macarena to a traditional Polish polka. So much for romance.
And there you have it: the diverse world we live in. From lovestruck dancers to rhythm-less Little Leaguers, our world is a wonderful place. And our world wouldn't be nearly as interesting without the variety we have. The song of the human race is a unique melody indeed. Not always in perfect accord, but a beautiful song nonetheless, once we find our harmony. Harmony is an amazing thing-- something that humans will spend their lives searching for, yet very rarely will it be found in its purest form. Here's hoping you find love, peace, and perfect harmony in all you do :)
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