What to do this Good Friday? I normally dye Pysanky eggs with a really good friend, and since that is our thing I can't bring myself to do it without her. It needs to be something that will take up the afternoon and focus my attention while allowing me wonder about Holy Week.
Legos!!!! The best thing about having a fandom is that someone can always get you a gift. I can wear Harry Potter pajamas, sip coffee from my Free Dobby! mug, wrap up in my Harry Potter blanket, and decide on which Harry Potter Lego gift set should be done. It would take me just as long to put one together as it would to melt wax on a Ukrainian egg. Hurray for Harry once again!
The days of Kenny and Lowell snuggling up next to me as we open the box, sort the pieces by size and color, put the pieces together click by click, and turn to the next page are long gone. They have moved on to other interests and friends. As middle school boys, I'd be really nervous if all they wanted and needed was their mama. The Lego set is mine and mine alone.
I decided to build the Knight Bus. The Knight Bus is the name of chapter three in book three. As I sat down to put it together, I started thinking about what drew me to the bus kit in the first place. The movie scene is not my favorite. I can't stand the shrunken head. He isn't in the book. I told him so when I met him at the Universal theme park. Call me crazy, you won't be the first.
As I started to build the bus, I focused on the scene in the book.
At the beginning of chapter three, Harry is not in a good place. He lost his temper at Privet Drive and turned his Aunt Marge into a Macy's Thanksgiving day parade balloon. He thinks he's done in the wizard world. He used magic outside of school. He used it in front of muggles with the intention of harming a muggle. He has nowhere to go. He doesn't know what to do. As he holds out his wand, a huge, purple bus shows up out of nowhere.
Off the bus jumps Stan, who begins his speech:
Welcome to the Knight Bus, emergency transport for the stranded witch or wizard...
Ok, I need to stop there. We are in Lent, and up pops a PURPLE bus. Jo is an Anglican and Harry was waiting. Could that be a liturgical sign? It is for me either way. The pandemic has really put me in a bad place. I'm beginning to feel Harry's frustration. I'm angry. I'm off my routine. I have no idea if I'm going back to a school building before September 1st. I'm stranded. Wouldn't a visit from the Knight Bus be great?
I started thinking about all the different times the Knight Bus has shown up around here over the last few weeks.
The Knight Bus was a hike with two friends six feet apart.
The Knight Bus was a picnic blanket on another friend's front yard.
The Knight Bus was a friend texting me from the grocery store, telling me she will drop some things off on my steps.
The Knight Bus has taken me to a play reading in New York City, church service at the National Cathedral in D.C. , and an Indigo Girls concert, all without leaving my house!
The Knight Bus is any text, FaceTime, or phone call from someone just to check in.
The Knight Bus has its limits. It can't do nuffink underwater. So my Knight Bus can't do nuffink closer than six feet.
What a great image for Lent. A purple bus here to save us in an emergency when otherwise we are stranded.
I took the time to get it done:
Go be the Knight Bus for someone.
Happy Good Friday one and all.