The Statue of Liberty stood on the sidewalk across from a funeral home and motioned at motorists on the five-laned road.
But rather than clutching a tablet of law or grasping a torch to light freedom’s path, this Liberty’s hand was encased in a large foam We’re Number One finger. On occasion, the statue would point at drivers in an accusatory fashion; other times, it would just wag the digit in a scolding manner.
Either way, it was an alarming, albeit effective way to remind us that it’s tax season and Liberty was shilling for a nearby accountant’s preparation business.
I’ve seen the person almost every day while driving to work. Liberty stands outside the business during the early hours and motions to the morning traffic. Liberty’s been there in rain and wind and snow. Last year, I saw it waving during a pelting sleet storm.
Some drivers honk at Liberty, others flash lights. Most ignore it.
I wave back.
I assume it’s a man, although I am not sure. The person wears a long flowing green robe to assimilate the aged copper of the actual New York statue. Wrapped around its head is a large plastic mask made of a type of rubber akin to those kick boards we used in grade school swimming classes. Large eye holes accommodate the person inside the mask. It looks more like the psycho killer in the Scream movies than a symbol of tolerance and independence.
It’s a weird way to begin a workday morning, seeing the Liberty. But it has to be a weirder way to make a living.
No comments:
Post a Comment