Sylvia’s Diary: MKNA Block Party

Dear Diary,

It was approximately 97 degrees. Or 143. Hard to say. When you’re a 61-year-old aluminum camper sitting in direct sunlight, temperature becomes more of a lifestyle than a measurement.

Despite the heat, the Meridian Kessler Neighborhood Association Block Party between IHM and CFI 84 was absolutely hopping. Families poured in, kids ran wild, neighbors gathered, and apparently everyone in Indianapolis decided they needed books and ice cream at the exact same time.

Now, I need to address the giant red elephant in the room.

The fire truck.

I was parked right next to it.

At first, I thought we’d be colleagues. Community partners. Two beloved neighborhood icons working side-by-side.

Wrong.

The fire truck was a customer thief.

Every time a child spotted my beautiful shelves of books, they would immediately see those cute red helmets, see a shiny ladder, or notice firefighters letting kids climb inside. Off they went. Betrayed. Just like that.

Thankfully, business was booming anyway. Between families stocking up on summer reading and kids carefully spending their hard-earned allowance money, my little bookstore stayed busy all evening.

As if the fire truck wasn’t enough competition, Dan decided to spend the evening outside drawing Dog Man, Pigeon, Cat Kid, and whatever other literary celebrities children requested. Before long, he had his own fan club. Kids gathered around watching him sketch while parents nodded approvingly, as if they’d just discovered some hidden talent. I sat there full of thousands of books wondering if I should be offended. Apparently the secret to selling literature is not literature—it’s drawing literature.

We saw lots of familiar faces stop by to say hello, which always makes my aluminum heart happy. But one of my favorite things about these neighborhood events is meeting new friends. Every event introduces me to families who have never climbed aboard before, and watching them discover that an old camper is secretly a bookstore never gets old.

The block party was also packed with incredible local businesses, community organizations, and vendors. One of the best parts of these events is seeing small businesses show up for each other. We all spend a lot of time loading trailers, setting up tables, sweating through shirts, and pretending we’re not exhausted by the end of the day. It’s nice to be surrounded by people doing the same thing.

By the end of the evening, I was hot, tired, slightly sun-crisped, and running low on books.

In other words: another very successful day.

Thanks Meridan Kessler Neighborhood Association for having us!

XO-Sylvia