I second that emotion

We were downtown for a few hours Friday night, and I almost didn’t recognize the place.

Yes, this was the same downtown where I had just been a few hours earlier. The same downtown where I work, go to church and eat lunch almost every day.

Yet it was very different. It wasn’t hot and empty, like you might expect it to be in the dregs of a late summer evening. There were people everywhere. They were walking up and down Cherry Street. They were eating at restaurants, listening to music and sipping carafes of wine at sidewalk cafes.

And they didn’t feel threatened. There was a significant police presence. I saw an officer on just about every corner. They were patroling the sidewalks. They didn’t have to do anything or say anything. Just be there. That was enough to keep the peace, in most cases.

It took me several minutes to find a parking place, but I really didn’t mind. There was something special about the night.

There was even a violinist playing Bach under a tree in front of Bert's. Can't say that I've ever seen that before. It was nice.

I have long been a proponent of First Friday. It is wonderful for the downtown merchants and restaurant owners. It is even better for the folks who take advantage of it. They enjoy getting out and taking in some night life. It gives Macon a huge boost of civic pride.

I compare it to Christmas. How many times do we catch ourselves during the holiday season wishing the whole year could offer the same feeling? There is a spirit you don’t experience any other time of the year.

I know what I’m about to say has been proposed before. To borrow a line from Smokey Robinson & the Miracles, let me second that emotion.

The only thing better than a First Friday would be to add a Second, Third and Fourth Friday.