Despicable Denver

 This past week, I’ve had the pleasure of listening to the Civic Center building carillon.  Volunteers from all walks of life spend their precious holiday time going to the Civic Center in downtown Denver to entertain the visitors to the Center by playing holiday music for almost an hour.  Some of them, like my friend, have been doing it for years.

In years past, it was possible to drive past the front of the Civic Center building to see the displays.  And, occasionally, the visitor was fortunate enough to find a parking space in front affording them the opportunity to see the beautiful displays up close.  And, if the visitors could walk, they were able to get out of their vehicles and walk among the displays.

Things have changed, however.  I don’t know for how many years that the street in front of the building has been closed to traffic at this time of year.  Automobiles are shunted to other streets, and their occupants have no opportunity to see the displays.  The closest street to view the front of the Civic Center is more than a block away.  This does not afford any opportunity at all to see the holiday displays that someone (city employees?) have spent hours creating.  The lights and the scenes (religious and secular) cannot even be seen clearly from the closest street that is immediately east of the blocked street.

If a visitor to the displays wants to be close to them, the visitor must find a parking place somewhere in the area and walk to the display.  How many people, elderly and handicapped, are not able to get close to them.  I could not.  I  am not able to walk more than a block or so, if at all.  And, once I would be there, I wouldn’t be able to walk back to my car.

Truth be told, I was able to listen to the carillon music.  My driver parked on the back side of the building and, fortunately, the sound of the carillon carries in all directions.  So, I was able to hear the music, even though I could not get close to the displays.

I began to wonder what was happening in the City of Denver.  My driver and I had planned to arrive in downtown Denver early enough to drive through its streets.  There was nothing.  NOTHING!  The streets had no lights.  The buildings had no lights.  There were some trees barely visible through the windows of a few buildings.  Plazas that once held angels and other displays were empty.  My friend and I kept asking, “Why?”  Has Denver lost its holiday spirit?  Has the state’s Capital staff lost any spirit of the holidays?

Fortunately, the streets we took through the suburbs from my home to downtown Denver had decorated trees, holiday lawn decorations – angels, snow persons, Santa Claus, etc.  For a person who can no longer drive after dark, these streets were pleasant to see.  They helped to lift my spirits for the holidays when driving to and from the downtown area.

When a person gets to the point that I am in my age, small things become big happenings.  I’m looking forward to seeing more of my family soon.  And, that brings great joy to my “old soul.”  I do wish, however, that I could feel the same joy in things remembered, such as the holiday lights of Denver.

Be Safe and Be Well
The Cranky Crone
Thoughtful comments are appreciated.