PUNXSUTAWNEY – “As I look around I see a bright sky,” read the scroll that Punxsutawney Phil had selected with a slight pause. The anticipation broken when the scroll was finished. “and a shadow at my side.” There will be six more weeks of winter.
The response was greeted with a series of boos and cheers from the crowd. There is the possibility of bias as a major snow storm passed over the area the day before and only ended in the dark hours of the morning some consider too son to call a brand new day. Even the officials of the Groundhog Club seemed to be uncertain whether it was February 2 yet or not until well after 3 a.m. Even by then a sizable crowd had formed. Though only a small fraction of what would be announced as possibly the largest crowd to attend the event in the last 122 years.
While many locals attended there were those who ventured from far and wide to take part in this event. Two such people were Seth Hall and Michael Reynolds who ventured here from Cleveland, Ohio based on what their friend said occurred last year. At first they had planned on going to a hockey game instead, and had wanted their friend to send photos. However, the tales of Groundhog Day 2007 seemed to far fetched they decided to come see themselves. Around one am they were passing the hours till sunrise by playing a game of “Chew-line” between huddling around a fire set-up by some local citizens.
These two were not alone. Jessica Shroeder and Daniel Smith, students of Slippery Rock, stood around the bond fire at Gobbler’s Knob. Their reason for arriving so early was their roommate dragged them.
“TV doesn’t do it justice,” said Shroeder.
Two California University students claimed they had been playing Halo, and just decided to make a road trip.
Several times the officials proclaimed those who arrived early despite the twenty-eight degree weather to be true and loyal fans of Phil.
As the waking hour neared music, dancing three proposals and a tail about a football game on Noah’s Ark after forty weeks of being cooped up kept the crowds entertained. Some fans provided their own entertainment dressed up in various costumes. There were at least three groundhogs and one carrot. Even Phil has not even been able to escape this presidential race with adoring fans proclaiming their desire for him to be elected.
“Get another rat into the white house,” said John Lovitch of Pittsburgh.
In the end Phil emerged with his handler wearing special metal gloves under his cloth ones to avoid being bit, probably by a cranky groundhog kept up by music, proposals and the story of the football game. After making his prediction Phil posed for photos before making his way downtown.