Sticks and Stones
So this evening after work, for an interesting and random Friday night, I went to witness (first from the Forest Park side, then I ventured across Hampton to witness from the Turtle Park side) the Tamm Avenue Bridge implosion. I must say, the advent to the event was worth more than the event itself. There were so many people lining the highway, and I got to chat and joke with some of them. For example, when a worker was running across the bridge to finalize things, we all yelled "STREAKER!!!... YEAH!!!... WOOHOO!!!"Another example is when the trucks blared their horn to signal the start, it didn't really start at that point. We all immediately booed in disgust. I shouted out how lame their attempt was at scaring the bridge by honking at it. I went about it Regis-Philbin-style: "What are ya DOIN'!! Ya gotta try AGAIN!!" lol... Then somebody else called for reinforcements to show up, at which point news helicopters started hovering above us. Ironic.
A third example which I loved is the chant: "Save!!... The!!... Tamm!!...... Save!!... The!!... Tamm!!..." Fists raised and everything like we, the angry mob, were ready to crush the fences and flood into the empty lanes of the highway. Of course, this last one is moot, because this bridge will simply be rebuilt like Compton Avenue was, as part of The New I-64. But still, good times had by all sober enough to venture out of the bar across the street (Oakland Ave -- the detour for the weekend along that stretch of HWY 40). As for me, I had a yummy Fanta With No Ice courtesy of Michael, which was already keeping me awake :)
As for the event itself, it was kinda awesome. First, a yellow laser light seemed to flash down the median barrier, then a sonic boom and the bridge was pulled down to the roadbed and immediately engulfed in dust. When the dust settled, we walked closer to the collapsed bridge, and I claimed a piece of concrete from a worker who was nice enough to hand pieces out from the other side of the fence, then I grabbed a wooden stick off the ground that indicated earlier that day where the fence was to lie for the event. It would have been cool to have one of the green signs that said "Tamm Ave", or one of the yellow signs that said "14' 11 ''", but I figure those have been assigned already to workers or family members of said workers.
Just remember folks, words will never hurt me. Most likely, if those words are hurtful, I'll be praying for ya. But yeah, interesting night. Now time for bed.
posted by Erik @ 12:08 AM
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