Dear Ace: On a scale of “one” to “a sullen wintry gloom,” how disappointed are you about the apparent lack of Mardi Gras awareness in this town?—Carnival-Craving-in-Charlottesville
Oh merde, that was this Tuesday?
Hey, look: Roughly since February 2nd, when Punxsutawney Phil predicted another six weeks without joy or hope, Ace had been encased in a mountain of icy snow, trying to dig his way out. He finally emerged last Sunday, only to realize that it was Valentine’s Day, and that the crushing sensation he was feeling wasn’t snow, but loneliness.
So forgive Ace for not rising to the occasion, but at the moment—and he reckons Charlottesville’s feeling pretty much the same way—he figures he’s got at least three weeks’ head start on Lent, and as of print time, Ash Wednesday hasn’t even happened yet. (In case you were wondering what Ace is renouncing this year, well, currently the prime contender is religion.)
So what’s going on? Fellini’s #9 is having a Cajun-style Fat Tuesday with the Jazz Rascals and Jolie Fille; the Mary Williams Community Center is putting on a craft fair and parade; and there’ll be a belated masquerade party at Siips on the 20th. So far, that’s about it.
Ace is crossing his fingers that by the time this article hits press, the Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar or Random Row Bookstore will have gotten together some kind of bohemian grove, harlequin dance-a-thon. That notwithstanding, here’s a list of other occasions worth marking:
• February 16 – On this date in 1937, DuPont patented Nylon. So today, give thanks that you’re wearing a poncho, as opposed to a layer of sleet.
• February 18 – The discovery of Pluto, a frozen, lifeless rock named for the Roman God of the Underworld, in 1930. Characteristic of the last three weeks, no?
• February 21 – International Mother Language Day, which UNESCO invented in 1999. Did you know that 2010 is the “International Year for the Rapprochement of Cultures?”
O.K., so the alternatives are looking a little bleak. Ace’s local forecast for the week? Less Mardi Gras, more “Carni-vale of tears.”
Wake him up when Easter gets here. Or better yet, Walpurgisnacht.
You can ask Ace yourself. Intrepid investigative reporter Ace Atkins has been chasing readers’ leads for 21 years. If you have a question for Ace, e-mail it to ace@c-ville.com.
