The Light at The End of The Tunnel
welcome to Sundae Matinee, a sprinkling of sweet stuff
Window displays are truly a lost art.
My formative childhood years were spent slinging produce at the Northampton Farmers Market for proprietors, Rosalie and Richard Davis aka my grandparents.
Their Farmers Market was housed in a defunct J. J. Newberry five and dime department store on Main Street in Northampton, Pennsylvania. The front façade lined Main Street and was entirely made of glass, including an expansive window box display. Each holiday season my mother would meticulously dress the window with all sorts of fanciful bits and bobs.
I loved crawling into the display window cubby with my mom to rearrange all the props, then run outside to give my critique via a thumbs up or down. I regale you in this tale for one simple reason of corpse: mannequins. Designing these window displays with my mother is my first recollection of coming in contact with the marvelous fiberglass species. In my last newsletter, I provided the history of the oldest Disneyland employee, Tilly, The Mannequin. Every mannequin has a history, you just have to open your ears and listen.
After the window was arranged and I was tucked securely in my bed for the night, I would ponder if the creatures were stirring within the window. What type of mischief did the mannequin and anthropomorphic produce cut-outs get up to?
I stumbled upon these glorious pictures of mannequins on the wild world of the internets and felt haunted by, yet enamored with, them. They are frozen, unable to move. It got me thinking about my present situation. I may not be behind glass but there have been walls that were constructed to keep me from truly living my most magical life. A mandatory routine that is required of a Monday to Friday, nine to five has made me feel stuck. Fortunately, the light at the end of the tunnel is starting to show. The Grand Fantastical Escape is nigh.
As you read this I am seventy-five days away from enacting my plan. I thought now would be an opportune time to share my dreams and schemes with you.
I am excited for what is to come and will continue to keep you in the loop here. In newsletters of the future, I will select one of the items on the blueprint above to elaborate on and include ways that you are able to assist.
xx.
goodbye