Oh boy, oh boy! I cannot wait. I’m going to be turning sixteen in less than twenty-four hours, and then me and Martin and Ichabod are going on the best Rumspringa ever!
For those of you who do not know our ways, Rumspringa is the traditional time for young Amish to get out there and experience the world. And I for one, can’t wait to get out there and sow some wild oats! I can’t wait!
We’re taking a page from Martin’s cousin Abram, but not the whole book, mind. Abram is one of the rare ones who embarked on his Rumspringa and then chose to not rejoin the community. Normally Abram is completely shunned by the community, but myself and my friends reasoned that in order to have the best possible time we should take the advice of one who had gone before us. And who better than Abram the heretic?
First of all, we’re going to get something called ‘Zima.’ I know it’s liquor and is forbidden...but not for Rumspringa! Abram said it was the most exotic and delicious flavor that he has ever tasted. I have never tasted anything in the flavor of ‘citrus’ before, so I am most excited!
Second of all, we will acquire clothing like the English wear. There is a store of thrift in the township nearby, and I saw a number of things in the window that I feel will be most exciting to wear! There are pants there that come in every color of the rainbow! I know by the names that they are from some far-off, exotic land. What better thing to wear for my Rumspringa? Perhaps I will try and pretend that I am an exotic prince from the land of...”Zubaz.”
Third, we have plans to go to the state fair this summer. Usually we would go with our kinsfolk to deliver our butter and preserves, but we were never allowed to stay and participate in the frivolities. I hear they deep fry butter at these sort of events, and I intend to try it.
And I will dance! Never before would I even consider it, but there will be live, modern music at the fair and we all made a promise to ourselves: just this once, we shall dance. We risk condemning our mortal souls to the Devil, but this is our time to experiment. Our time! I do not know what the music of ‘Ratt’ will sound like, but I am ready to dance to it.
I am hoping that my new finery will impress the girls of the township as well. Miriam and Ruth both will be of age at the same time as myself and Martin and Ichabod, and I hope that the five of us will have a chance to experience the world together. And I hope that they also go to the store of thrift as we will. They had a number of what are called ‘scrunchies.’ And I would dearly love to see what Ruth’s hair will look like out of her wimple.
It will surely be a struggle for us, I am sure. I know that there are a great many temptations out there. The bright lights and clothes, the music. I fear the rhythms of ‘Ratt’ will tempt me greatly.
But we are all willing to test the limits of our faith. And after all, for all of the temptations in that modern world...if they are made by man, then at their roots are they not a piece of the Lord God? I mean no heresy, I am simply questioning. That is what this time is meant to be for, is it not? Well, our faith is strong and I know that in the end I will choose to return to our beloved community. What else could I do? I could never imagine a life outside of the farmsteads.
I don’t know how Abram does it, honestly. But we’re off to see him in the morn, when he will help us acquire our Zima and also something he calls ‘crystal meth.’ I don’t know what ‘meth’ means, but I do surely find the icicles along the barn gutters to be lovely so I’m sure that this ‘crystal meth’ is yet another example of the Good Lord’s bounty.
For those of you who do not know our ways, Rumspringa is the traditional time for young Amish to get out there and experience the world. And I for one, can’t wait to get out there and sow some wild oats! I can’t wait!
We’re taking a page from Martin’s cousin Abram, but not the whole book, mind. Abram is one of the rare ones who embarked on his Rumspringa and then chose to not rejoin the community. Normally Abram is completely shunned by the community, but myself and my friends reasoned that in order to have the best possible time we should take the advice of one who had gone before us. And who better than Abram the heretic?
First of all, we’re going to get something called ‘Zima.’ I know it’s liquor and is forbidden...but not for Rumspringa! Abram said it was the most exotic and delicious flavor that he has ever tasted. I have never tasted anything in the flavor of ‘citrus’ before, so I am most excited!
Second of all, we will acquire clothing like the English wear. There is a store of thrift in the township nearby, and I saw a number of things in the window that I feel will be most exciting to wear! There are pants there that come in every color of the rainbow! I know by the names that they are from some far-off, exotic land. What better thing to wear for my Rumspringa? Perhaps I will try and pretend that I am an exotic prince from the land of...”Zubaz.”
Third, we have plans to go to the state fair this summer. Usually we would go with our kinsfolk to deliver our butter and preserves, but we were never allowed to stay and participate in the frivolities. I hear they deep fry butter at these sort of events, and I intend to try it.
And I will dance! Never before would I even consider it, but there will be live, modern music at the fair and we all made a promise to ourselves: just this once, we shall dance. We risk condemning our mortal souls to the Devil, but this is our time to experiment. Our time! I do not know what the music of ‘Ratt’ will sound like, but I am ready to dance to it.
I am hoping that my new finery will impress the girls of the township as well. Miriam and Ruth both will be of age at the same time as myself and Martin and Ichabod, and I hope that the five of us will have a chance to experience the world together. And I hope that they also go to the store of thrift as we will. They had a number of what are called ‘scrunchies.’ And I would dearly love to see what Ruth’s hair will look like out of her wimple.
It will surely be a struggle for us, I am sure. I know that there are a great many temptations out there. The bright lights and clothes, the music. I fear the rhythms of ‘Ratt’ will tempt me greatly.
But we are all willing to test the limits of our faith. And after all, for all of the temptations in that modern world...if they are made by man, then at their roots are they not a piece of the Lord God? I mean no heresy, I am simply questioning. That is what this time is meant to be for, is it not? Well, our faith is strong and I know that in the end I will choose to return to our beloved community. What else could I do? I could never imagine a life outside of the farmsteads.
I don’t know how Abram does it, honestly. But we’re off to see him in the morn, when he will help us acquire our Zima and also something he calls ‘crystal meth.’ I don’t know what ‘meth’ means, but I do surely find the icicles along the barn gutters to be lovely so I’m sure that this ‘crystal meth’ is yet another example of the Good Lord’s bounty.
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