With the arrival of spring, the slow departure of sea ice, and the return of long, bright days, one other thing has returned to the small hamlet of Nome: the domination the youth have over its streets.
While blasting music out of backpack speakers, gaggles of teens wander about, trying to mingle with other groups of teens. Children, some that can barely walk, speed by on bicycles in formations only they could conceive and achieve. The floodgates are opened once school is released. Once the kids are out of class, every street is occupied by some sort of activity. This time of year must be a magical time for kids who have bided their time all winter, waiting for the long hours of daylight spring and summer supply.
Recently, there has been a gang of kids that hang out on our driveway and utilize it for all their shenanigans. These are a tough bunch of third graders that have all the time in the world and a lot of energy to burn. Last night, I walked out to a strange scene that consisted of four boys, a mound of dirt, and two Tonka trucks. Using a stick, one of the boys drew a star in the mound of dirt that lay in the middle of the street. He explained they were drawing Patrick, from Spongebob, and riding their Tonka Trucks over him.
The participants took turns forming the target, spotting for cars, and destroying the portrait of this beloved starfish. There always seemed to be one extra kid rolling on the ground, waiting to get their chance at one of the jobs. This process was repeated and repeated. When I entered the scene, it seemed like it had been going on for a long time, and it did not seem like it was going to stop anytime soon. Walking away, I had to smile at the nonsense and ingenuity of how these kids were occupying and enjoying their time.
The return of light can be hard, but it is great to see life return to the landscape and the town. I have been told that this time of year can be hard for a multitude of reasons. But the challenges of this period of readjustment, for me, are mitigated by observing all the activity that is returning to this community.
