Chapter One Hundred: Two Years!

“Wait,” said Luna.  “I just realized that our communal anniversary was last week.”

“Whoa, that’s right,” said Dan.

“That’s no reason for not having a celebration next week,” said Nancy.  “I’ll send out invitations today.”

“Thanks, Nancy,” said Sal.  “I’ll start organizing folks to organize it.”

She went into the dining hall where several of the newer folks were gathered.

“Anyone want to help organize our two year anniversary party?” she asked.

“This place is only two years old?” said Angel.  “I thought it was like fifty.”

“No,” said Sal.  “You’re thinking of Three Sycamores.  They’re nearly fifty.  We’re a pretty new commune.”

“Yeah,” said Candy.  “I remember a couple of years ago when my father told me a bunch of weirdos had bought this farm.  I never dreamt I’d be living here now.”

“Do you still think that we’re weirdos?” asked Angel.

“Yeah,” said Candy, “but I think that you’re a bunch of pretty nice weirdos.”

“I can live with that,” said Winter.

                                                                    *

A week later, the celebration was going strong.  Sweet as Syrup was just finishing their set and everyone was dancing.  It was hot and humid and it looked like it might rain any minute.  The climax to their last song was a loud final chord, a louder drumroll, a flash of lightning, and an even louder explosion of thunder.

Within seconds, the downpour began.  The Green Mountain Boyos, who were getting ready to play, helped the Sweet as Syrup band get their instruments and equipment to shelter.  The food seemed unaffected until the canopy blew away.  Drenched folks struggled to rescue whatever they could.

The rain seemed to permeate everything.  Soaked and shivering, party-goers huddled on the porches of the commune and watched the celebration turn to a soggy, muddy mess.

Then Sal started laughing.  

“It’s not funny,” Dan said, but Luna started laughing too and was quickly joined by Cat, Chuck, Winter, and Dandelion.  Bob’s boisterous baritone belly laugh bellow rang through the spreading  hysterical roar.

Dan even found himself chuckling as the whole commune dissolved into a whooping mass of out of control hilarity.

As the chortling slowly died down to giggling, the downpour dwindled to a light rain and slowly dropped away.

Folks started venturing out, the food was brought back, and the Green Mountain Boyos began to set up to play.

“See,” Luna said to Dan.  “It all works out well in the end.”

“It usually does around here,” said Ed.  “Happy second anniversary.”

“Look,” said Fred.  He pointed to the sky where the clouds were parting and a rainbow was materializing.

The whole commune began clapping, along with Ralph and Ed, and Peter and George and Fred, and Steve and Amanda, and the Troll, and a host of parents.  

“Happy anniversary!” resounded almost as one voice.

Luna was almost in tears.

“I’m so glad that you’re all here,” she said.

“Me, too!” said a familiar voice from behind the crowd.  “It’s good to be back!”