Cave City/ S and P Excavations Mini Burning Man

6/5/2005 1:07 AM

Something clicks and the fire starts, at first, small, then, an inferno. The 1st annual CC/S+P Mini Burning Man Festival has begun. With the bon fire turning shades of autumn, we hear laughter all around, then when the sounds grow lower a blazing flame shoots into the night sky, speeding in to the heavens, it stops, arcs and in a beautiful, peaceful, explosion, the colors are sent out like huge fingers in all directions, crackling and flashing on their descent to the ground. The ah’s, and oh’s rang out as if a choir, on cue had burst into simultaneous sounds to proclaim the wonders of the painting of lights on that darken pallet, but even before they were completely silent, when one more fire ball push upward, with very much the same results. More laughter and merriment, silly stories shared, mosquito smashing, more balls of colorful fire lighting this night sky, when all of a sudden, a very large Toucan passes by, seemed to be with its trainer so we didn’t really have much input as to whether or not such a bird should or could just walk by us, but we did stare and all laugh out loud at once. It was still our only topic of conversation for the next few minutes when two bizarre young men stumbled, up asking if anyone here, had, or had not, seen the very same Toucan we were now laughing about. The next thing we know, the entire group is being interrogated, while being video taped and it, was most unpleasant, but safety first right? It was through these dependable, hard working men that we learned that the Toucan is not native here, and they will kill you for no reason, other then say, because, you remind them of a former owner who teased them relentlessly with rubber crackers and jalapeno flavored bird seed, and showed no emotions at all. It was at this very moment, the giant Toucan, in all its natural beauty along with its trusted trainer stepped into the lights of the fire, and everyone froze, then from somewhere, towards the back of the crowd, a voice spoke up, it solidified what every man, women and child were thinking at the same time in 3 simple words, “cook the bird” echoed around us and giggles became full fledged laughter………..We had settled in again, watching the darkness explode into light, again, and again.