Small Things Remembered....

[Meat Hunter]

One of my most memorable moments in 2014 came when I was peddling down a dark street on the east side of the city at around 11:00 one evening. The street was relatively deserted and relatively quite. I passed by a little camp and a older couple was sitting beside an ice chest and talking by the light of two candles.

Since I was going slow, the lady walked out to me and ask me if I would like to join them for some homemade banana pudding ice cream. I stopped, visited for a while and was offered a small cup of the banana pudding ice cream. We talked a bit, they had a couple of drinks, I said thank you and peddled off. Why did this little event create a memorable moment for me? I will tell you why.

Real banana pudding is my absolute favorite. Grandmother would make a big bowl of banana pudding for the family, complete with homemade vanilla custard, tons of vanilla wafers and of course bananas. Then, she would make a second pudding, in the same size bowl -- just for me.

Of all the days and all the streets that I could have ridden down, why did I chose that particular time and that particular street? Small things remembered.

[Sham]

MH, that's a great story. Nice memories of both your grandmother and this couple who offered you a treat.
So many things on the playa appear to be tiny miracles happening. They seem to happen when you least expect it.
I guess this may be why so many people keep coming back.

[Blueschaser]

Man burn day around 6 PM and that day's dust storm had been swirling for a good long while. Visibility: zilch. Jill & I donned goggles, bandanas and provisions and off we trekked from our camp in the outer burbs, heading to open playa looking like we were preparing to knock over the First National Bank of BRC. Get to the inner part of city (3:00 side) just as the crew of MV Tribal Thunder fired up their engine. One of them asked us if we were heading out to the Man (well....YEAH!). Whereupon they insisted we hop aboard.....we couldn't believe our good fortune! Saved us that long trek right into the teeth of the wind.

No burners on foot saw Tribal Thunder coming, given the non-stop winds. But everyone HEARD us approaching out of the haze the whole way out---and saluted the sounds emanating from about 7 drums as we'd pass them. Best part: we weren't a couple of 20-somethings being invited aboard as sparkly decoration. These guys from the Pyramid Lake tribe made a lasting memory for 2 folks either side of 60. We salute all of you for that moment in time. We ended up in front row for the Burn: playa serendipity, I'd say.

[Wigwam]

I woke up in that part of the night that isn't quite morning yet, but is later than late. It's like forever o'clock. I had to pee. I got up, staggered down to the porta-potties and relieved myself. On the way back, I couldn't help but notice how unnervingly quiet it was. I knew there were people awake, virtually all around me. Perhaps people who had been stuck at the gate in the rain were all crashing for their first nights sleep...or something. Whatever it was, it seemed very quiet. As I walked back to my camp, a car...or something resembling a car...a chassis with a motor and no doors...pulled up. I could barely even hear the engine running. A pretty woman looked across from the drivers seat.
"Can I give you a lift?"
"Sure...thanks."
My camp was probably only 50 feet down the road, but a lift is a lift. A couple of words of small talk, almost hushed. A pretty smile.
"Well, This is me."
"Great. Have a great burn."
Thanks pretty lady. Best ride I had in a long, long time.

[Sham]

I remember some amazing trumpet music coming from the Lamplighters camp well after midnight, that caused me to get dressed and out of my tent to listen. Truly an amazing performer.

[Mojojita]

I remember some amazing trumpet music coming from the Lamplighters camp well after midnight, that caused me to get dressed and out of my tent to listen. Truly an amazing performer.

This reminded me of the bagpiper that was out along the fence line at Greeter's and marched about solemnly playing his bagpipes. It was stirring.

[Drawingablank]

My first burn , was wandering up 4:30 or in that area and a hawker invited us to "The Next Whiskey Bar". Being a big Doors fan and a big fan of bars, I entered. Only to be called a cretin because I didn't use the door (a prehung door in the middle of a 30 or 40 foot open frontage).

Re Entered using the door and was made a great drink by someone in a tuxedo wearing a penguin mask. Had some great conversations with other patrons.

The entire time I was there they played nothing but Michael Jackson!

Pretty sure I posted this previously, but it was a good fit in this thread.

[FIGJAM]

First burn, first neighbors spent 4 hours in the heat trying to hang a white canvas on the side of their box truck to show movies on every night.

I timidly asked if they would like some advice.

YES!!!

In 20 minutes I had it hung, lasted all week, and made it to come down in 5 minutes!!!

[nilasnake]

one beginning year...was walking with a group of friends out to the man burn. thought i'd be cool and put magnetic blinkies on each side of my nostrils. well the dang things flipped inside and clung to each other and my septum. i tried to dig it out....but i'm a fingernail chewer and only pushed them further up. well, i deal with this later i thought...but as i walked...was getting a bit of a headache. some woman out of nowhere said 'do you need some help?" i asked if she had long fingernails...and she did! she proceeded to pop out those nasty little magnets. now where else in the world would somebody dig up a stranger's nose??? burningman of course!

[some seeing eye]

I found a man down on the deep playa and found medical. He survived.
I was a safety walker for a MV. I pulled several individuals from falling under the wheels.
I was ever, ever thankful to meet the Hotwheelz camp and volunteer for them. Hail their successors, the Mobility Camp!
I sent a large mounted photo of a perished Burning Man pilot I met to the airport with instructions to transport finally to the temple.
I engaged El Circo where I had many friends and had a lovely experience. That camp had a large influence.
WIth our MV, I found a lost younger person on the deep playa. On talking a bit, the individual revealed they were not in conventional sexual identity categories, confused seeking their tribe. Suggested where they might inquire and got them back safe to their camp.
Met a friend in the 2 area who had been involuntarily dosed. Verified vitals and guided them to a whole tribe of friends to care for them. Funny I wanted to get them water and the 2 sound camps are "this is not water" "we cannot give" at least they were honest!
Met a burner deep playa, invited to their infrastructure camp. We kept in touch and they did a super moving food not bombs project which is stunning to this day.
I created a small in-person interactive experience as a gift.
I brought many new burners and they had a great experience!
Made some suggestions counter to snark to a new ePlayan about precautions for a world athlete on the Playa. They made beautiful contribution at the event, but deleted their ePlaya account.
I sometimes suggest future burn evolution vectors through channels which are acknowledged.

Really, each of our contributions is small, but they can magnify to large too! Don't judge yourself small v large contribution, just contribute as you intuit~!

[chuckularone]

Met a woman maned Pilar who could swallow her tongue in the Side-Show tent on the Esplanade.
Made out with a girl in a dome so filled with fog we could barely see each other. Don't know her name.
Flew in a plane over the city and did a vertical dive for about 2000 ft. It broke me of my fear of roller coasters.

[GreyCoyote]

Met a woman maned Pilar who could swallow her tongue in the Side-Show tent on the Esplanade.
Made out with a girl in a dome so filled with fog we could barely see each other. Don't know her name.
Flew in a plane over the city and did a vertical dive for about 2000 ft. It broke me of my fear of roller coasters.

I fed Chuck advil and jello shots until he threw up.

[oscillator]

Entering BRC early a few years ago, early build phase.

Headed down the radial towards Center Camp. FIrst camp I see has a big sign: "Yes Parking".

I liked that.