Edmond Leary smiled as he told me the story behind the bubble station he set up in the middle of Madison Square Park.
“I’ve been doing this for five years,” he said.
In his hand, he held a bubble wand made from two bamboo sticks tied together with thick yarn. A black cap with the words “Uncle Bubble” rested on his head.
The station consisted of three orange buckets filled with soapy water. A wand was placed inside of each one, serving as an open invitation for pedestrians to come and participate in the group activity.
I watched as Edmond, aka Uncle Bubble, expertly maneuvered his wand to create gigantic, life-size bubbles. As the crowd grew around him, he quickly bounced from one bucket to the next in order to teach participants his unique bubble-blowing technique.
When I later asked Edmond how he came up with the idea to create his bubble station, he told me he adapted the concept from another person.
“But I do it a bit different,” he said. “I specifically cater to kids.”
Even so, Edmond eagerly invited people of all ages to join him. Everyone who participated — from adults in business suits to a tiny toddlers — seemed to enjoy the activity as much as Edmond enjoyed teaching it.
It just goes to show that you're really never to old to enjoy blowing bubbles.
Video Credits:
Music: "Sunny" by Bensound.com
