 |
Recreation
|
City of Roswell
P.O. Drawer 1838
Roswell, NM 88202-1838
(505) 624-6700
Fax: 624-6889 |
THE LEISURE INCIDENT
CHAPTER THIRTEEN - "WHAT’S MISSING?"
June 15, 2025
By Kim Elliott, CLP
Recreation Director
City of Roswell
His name is Noitaercer. In English, the translation is not quite accurate, but then, it
is my understanding that any earthly translation will not be quite accurate. We call him,
Friend.
We know from some of the documentaries on alien life here on earth, like "Men
In Black", that they are among us. It is a fact of everyday life!
It is appropriate to speak of Noitaercer today. Why?
Noitaercer is one of the original aliens who crashed back in 1947 near Roswell. Finding
his means of transportation temporarily in need of repair, he could not leave. He did not
want to stay! The reason that he gave was "There is nothing to do in Roswell!"
When Noitaercer crashed, Cahoon Park Swimming Pool had already seen 16 seasons. Yucca
Recreation Center was still the original Roswell High School and had graduated 17 classes
of seniors into the "real" world. The Roswell Adult Center was in the planning
stages of becoming the Chaves County Memorial Youth Center. Bottomless Lakes State Park
had been designated New Mexico’s first State Park just a few years earlier.
In short, the major recreation facilities of the current Roswell community had already
been established 50 years ago. Roswell has changed a lot in the last 50 years. Her
recreational facilities have not.
Anyway, Noitaercer could not get his means of transportation repaired. A part, the
rotavitom, was on backorder from his homeworld, Erusiel. Besides, these earthlings had
already packed up the ship and sent it to one of their repair facilities. Noitaercer was
stuck right here in Roswell with nothing to do!
Since the rotavitom was not to be delivered for quite some time, he did not have a
choice. Besides, let the
earthlings try and figure out what was wrong with his ship.
The other day, Noitaercer surfaced around the Recreation Office in Cahoon Park. We had
the opportunity to chat about his stay. He is looking forward to the delivery of his
backordered part sometime in the next year or two and is anxious to finally have the
opportunity to get home. He also talked about things to do in Roswell!
Kids up to the age of 250 or so have always complained about nothing to do on Erusiel!
Noitaercer was 243 years young when he landed and he had the same mindset about Roswell.
For his first 35 or 40 years on earth, Noitaercer did not become involved with
anything. He consciously tried to stay out of everyone’s way. He stayed pretty much
to himself. The more he stayed by himself, the more his attitude changed to the negative.
He had made a self fulfilling prophecy. He said, "There is nothing to do in
Roswell!" For Noitaercer, there was nothing to do in Roswell! He had created his own
world with nothing to do. Then, he changed.
What changed! Noitaercer had! He finally heard from Erusiel that his backordered part
would be delivered around the year 1999. Hope surfaced. He did not want to stick around
for the next 15 years with nothing to do. What did he find? He looked at what had been
around him all along. He opened his eyes to the opportunities that already existed.
Noitaercer became involved. He came out of his nothing to do world and began to look
realistically at the world around him. Realization that he, himself, had a lot to do with
what was available and what was not, finally began to sink in to his consciousness.
He found a community with an established recreation program in place - one that was
taken for granted by the public. He found old facilities, Cahoon Pool, Yucca Recreation
Center, and the Roswell Adult Center still serving the public. He found family activities.
He found youth activities. He found young adult and senior activities. He found concerts
and other special events of interest.
He found a Recreation Department that had an excellent image in the community. He found
a Department that was providing beneficial activities for the community.
He found himself realizing that he should have been involved much earlier.
Now, Noitaercer likes it here. He has found a lot to do and keep him busy. He may stick
around a little while longer! Who knows! Some of his friends may decide to come back and
stay with him!
SKRAP DNA NOITAERCER - EHT STIFENEB ARA SSELDNE!MT
Parks and Recreation - The Benefits are Endless...TM
