Terrace Chairs: A Love Story – More Than Just a Fling
Photo courtesy of Valerie Knurr
The snow has melted, it’s above freezing and the lake ice is retreating, so where are the chairs!? Calm yourself, Terrace-lover. We know the reunion with a loved one can be nerve-wracking, but also exciting. Everyone is anxious to sit upon the familiar sunburst pattern, admire the vibrant colors and relax, so happy and at home on the Terrace once again.
When someone you love returns, naturally you’re giddy and filled with questions like, “where were you?” “how have you been?” and “what have you been doing?” As usual, the chairs maintain a mysterious poker face—their reserved, quiet and coy nature only reinforcing our curiosities as to what they’ve been up to.
Despite common misconceptions, the Terrace chairs were not simply cozied up in the Union’s basement watching Netflix all winter. Chairs that needed a face lift were sent to Oregon, WI, to be repaired and refreshed, while the rest were stored in a warehouse off campus, just south of the Beltline. And no, they weren’t avoiding you on Skype or ignoring your texts; they simply have a strict no-technology policy while in their undisclosed vacation spots.
So when will you reunite with your yellow, orange and green beauties? It all depends on our unreliable Wisconsin weather. The target date is mid-April, but the blissful day could arrive as early as mid-March, like it did in the 80-degree heat wave a few years back (fingers crossed).
Unfortunately, this reunion isn’t quite as simple as running into the arms of our beloved chairs in a meadow somewhere. It takes a lot of planning, staff and quite a few trips to get every chair and table back onto the Memorial Union Terrace and the balcony at Union South. The full return of the chairs can take up to two days, depending on the availability of Wisconsin Union staff, the weather and other factors. But take comfort in knowing that our dear chairs will be back when the time is right—just as we haven’t forgotten them, they certainly haven’t forgotten us. Or are they just playing hard to get?
In the words of the Beatles, “Little darling, I feel that ice is slowly melting/Little darling, it seems like years since it’s been clear.” Weather is unpredictable, and, when we’re in the doldrums of winter, it seems like the day will never come that we will walk down State Street without bracing ourselves for an ice-induced faceplant, but the ice has melted, and soon, the weather can no longer conspire to keep us from those we love.
The anticipation is almost unbearable. What if our loved ones don’t feel the same anymore?! Recall time spent together, lounging in the sun with a cold drink, and then under the changing leaves, a large basket of cheese curds by your side. Never fear! Unlike the weather, our chairs are dependable. They’re hard-wired to be faithful and will always return to us, ready to experience another extraordinary Terrace season together.
What do you miss most about the Terrace Chairs? Share in the comments section below!
