May Day Memories – Big Q Tip

Hey Gang,

Big Q here.  Well, it’s May 1^st.  Rent is due, but it’s also May Day.  What does that mean? Are we going down in a jet fighter…”May day! May day! I’ve got a fire in the cockpit and both engines are out!  I’m going down, and not in a good way!”  I hope that’s not what it means.

May Day celebrations first appeared in a time before Christians.  You know what that means.  Alright, were goin’ Pagan.  Early celebrations were for the Roman goddess of flowers, anyone, anyone, yes that’s correct, Flora.  Also, the Walpurgis Night celebrations in old Germania.

Over the years many pagan parties have been abandoned, or "Christianized."  These days May Day could be best known for dancing around the Maypole, and crowning the Queen of May.

Roman Catholic tradition has May as Mary’s month, so these celebrations usually wrapped around the Blessed Virgin Mary, which is why you’ll see a lot of flower crowns.

In some part of the U.S., the tradition calls for May Baskets to be made.  They’d be filled with candy or flowers and left at the doorstep.  The giver would ring the bell and dash away, and the person, to whom the basket was for, would then have to chase the giver down.  If caught, kisses would be rewarded.

This leads us to an embarrassing memory in my life.  I should point out that this in not an embarrassment for me, but for my Mother.  We were living in the small town of Surrey North Dakota, and we had some cute girls living down the street.  One year, on May first, they made a basket for me and my brother.  They rang the bell, I answered, they dropped the baskets and took off running.  I had no idea what was happening, so I picked up the baskets, turned around and walked back inside.  My mother asked what I was carrying, and I said, “baskets of candy”.  The neighbor girls just gave them to us, ones address me and the other to Shawn”.

My mom asked if I got a kiss?  “I don’t think there’s any kisses in here, but I do see a Hershey bar.”

“What?”, my mom bellowed.  “You didn’t chase them down?”

“Mother, why would I chase them down, I already got the chocolate”.

“Oh you boys, why couldn’t I have daughters!  You’re supposed to chase them, now go, run after them.”

“Are you kidding me?”

“I said run, now”.

“Fine. Come on Shawn, we have to chase down girls in the street.  Hope we don’t get arrested for assault.  I'd have to tell the judge, my Mom made me do it”.

Luckily that family moved away soon after so my Mothers embarrassed was ended somewhat.

Years later, I was working at a radio station in Bismarck, and one of the people I was working with, turns out, was best friends with those same girls when they move to their new town, and surprise surprise, she had heard all about my May Day Failure.   Boy, was my Mom glad to hear about that again, let me tell you.

Big Q Tip.  When it comes to May Day, just pay your rent and leave the rest alone.  Nothing but trouble otherwise.