A Gargoyle....Put on a Santa Hat

Well, it goes without saying that 2020 had its challenges. It was a year that most of us had never seen the likes of, and one that most of us hope has no repeats any time soon. 

Going into 2021, we are seeing some carryover of the last year into the new one, and currently, my neck of the woods is seeing extreme cold. Add to that, some personal struggles my family is undergoing, and I am right now, not in a great headspace. To be exact, Resting Bitch Face could be not only my name but also my current real-world description. Ain't no one wants to be around RBF today. 

Perhaps because of my current outlook, I need a little writing therapy and while going through some past ideas, I found the perfect subject to write about. 

As I stated, 2020 had us all on edge and for many, it seemed to give license to "showing our butts" as my mother-in-law always likes to say. While many have kept their "butt showing" to social media on politics, COVID, and anything else that ticked them off, others have sported their tidy whities right out in public. So this blog piece is about a "Karen" neighbor in Ohio, who decided to show her butt when a fellow neighbor took to decorating her front porch in her own special Christmas style. 

Somewhere back in early December 2020, I was all but ignoring FB, because I was just sick of people. One day though, I was looking up something and I happened upon a FB post about of all things, a gargoyle. This gargoyle was not just any gargoyle though. His name was Frank. Now as gargoyles go, he was pretty ordinary, as he resided in Ohio, and he adorned (guarded) the front porch of one of the residents of their fair state. The porch was small and his presence was commanding, and since it was December, Franks owner (we will call her Franks Friend (FF) since I still don't know her name) decided to gussie Frank up for the holidays. I believe she gave him a Santa hat and scarf or something pretty low key like that. I mean why not? It was the Christmas season after all. 

Apparently, Franks festive look didn't sit right with everyone, and it wasn't long before an unnamed and apparently unknown neighbor (whom we will call "Karen," for obvious reasons) left a note on FF's front door, letting her know that Frank was not a proper Christmas decoration and that she and the neighborhood association did not approve. FF, being a woman after my own heart, decided that she and Frank would not allow a Karen to ruin their fun, so Frank was soon joined by other not classically Christmas friends. Karen, who seemed to think her word would be seen as law, was also not dissuaded as she continued to barrage FF with more notes of disapproval and threats of neighborhood action. The game was on. 

FF apparently found both the notes and Karen's outrage, amusing, and took to FB with a post telling the saga of Frank, Karen, and the ever-growing Christmas decorations on her small front porch. The post seemed to strike a note with everyone and within hours, her post was trending and she decided to give Frank the Christmas Gargoyle his very own FB page. It was a stroke of genius and within days, Frank had tens of thousands of followers. Frank's followers were treated to each new Christmas addition to the front porch and each new Karen outrage. People adored the creativity of each new Christmas porch friend and could hardly wait for Karen's next protest.  

Soon Franks Christmas friends included rats, skeletons, hippos, snowmen, a COVID virus, a character known as "the doc," nutcrackers, and many, many more. And with each addition, Karen became more incensed. It also became clear that Karen was probably not one of those who had stepped into the world of social media, as she seemed oblivious to the social media presence that Frank now held. It was also curious that she chose to quietly, under the mantle of dark, deliver her handwritten complaints about Franks holiday menagerie instead of blasting FF on FB like "normal" people do. 

As the saga continued, on occasion, FF would leave a message on the door for Karen to find. It usually humorously let Karen know that neither Frank nor FF were deterred by her nasty messages and that the fight for Christmas "Franks way," would continue on. It had also become quite apparent that Karen was alone in her complaining dislike, as FF never heard a word from the homeowners association. 

December continued on, and in a funny way, Frank and his porch friends seemed to have taken people's minds off the negative in the world and helped them to focus on something a little lighter. He also became a kind of anti-hero against all the "Karen's" in the world and all of those who kept telling us, "we have to do this," or "we can't do that." Through FF's act of defiance to Karen, she shared a bit of her rebellion with us all. 

As Christmas approached, people had started asking FF to start a public Amazon wish page, so that followers of Frank could help add to the front porch friends. FF could have done this and probably literally have caused Karen's head to explode, but instead, FF did the classiest thing I have ever seen. She said she could not take anyone's money like that, but what she did do was ask the 740,000+ fans and followers of the Frank the Christmas Gargoyle FB page, to give their money by sending donations to Foodbank, Inc, the local food bank in Ohio's Miami Valley. Within just a few hours, the food bank had received almost $50,000, and since, that amount has grown to almost $70,000. Frank, his front porch Christmas friends, FF, and even Karen, in spite of herself, had brought about a really great thing. 

After Christmas, Karen apparently had been made aware of Franks's FB page, all his many social media friends, and even her part in the mass charitable giving. She sent FF another note telling her that "they won," now could they please take down all the decorations. Not so fast...... FF, being the wise woman that she is, saw the ability for Frank to continue serving the local foodbank and those in need in Ohio. So now, Frank and friends are currently celebrating Valentine's day and spoiler alert.....Frank is in love. Frank is also preparing for Mardi Gras and St. Patty's day. My guess...Frank and friends have only just begun to celebrate in 2021, and we are going to be seeing a lot more of Karen's tidy whities. 

If you haven't checked out the Frank the Christmas Gargoyle FB page, you ought to. It is funny and light and shows that just because someone shows you hate, you don't have to return it. Perhaps that is a lesson we all could take away from Frank, FF and 2020, and spread throughout 2021. 

And all because.....one December day.....in Ohio.....a gargoyle....put on a Santa hat.