French's_Common

__An Essence of__ __Braintree__ As a resident of Braintree, walking in South Braintree Town Square, it’s difficult to stride past French’s Common on Washington Street without looking. People always glance over to the commons when they are in view. This is because French’s Common is consistently busy, with various activities unraveling, ranging from sports games, to people walking their dogs. The front of the commons has a stone arch, with the faded words of “French’s Common”, expressing its aged yet prominent landmark. In 1858, the people of Braintree celebrated by putting a new town hall next to French’s Common. This means French’s Common was currently there before this time, and has been untouched since. Many people would consider French’s Common a third place, a home away from home, a meeting place for relaxation, hard work, or just plain entertainment. With a good sized chunk of land, French’s Common has room for individual courts, fields, and hangout spots. It’s a gold mine for the eyes, traveling over all of French’s Common, studying its inhabitants and occupants. Surrounded by multiple family homes on three sides, and a street on another, French’s Common seems to be the ideal place to come to relax and have fun with a group of people. Many people consider it a park, because of the extent of entertainment there, with so much to choose from. A perfectly groomed baseball field sits front and center as you walk in under the arch. A large backstop towers behind home plate, certain to catch most of the foul balls that are hit. Lively green grass growing in the infield, as well as the outfield, seems to catch the sunlight and hold on to it, giving the ground an active and bright feel to it. A few children were having races around the bases, running opposite ways from home plate. The first one all the way around was the winner, but of course cutting corners and cheating was what most of the racing consisted of. Aluminum benches on either side of the field seat up to 30 people on each. In what would be called right field, is the backside of Braintree’s Town Hall, red bricks and the discolored concrete adds to the rustic and old charm of French’s Common. Only the windows facing the baseball field have prison like bars covering the glass, protecting its fragile being from flying baseballs. In the far outfield, where there are no boundaries for the baseball field, lies a makeshift football field, used by the nearby private school; Thayer Academy. Ironically, this $30,000 year tuition enrollment middle school practices on a spray painted football field in the middle of French’s Common. Around 4 o’clock kids from Thayer Academy in uniforms show up and start stretching and throwing around the ball, getting ready for practice. Their jeers and taunts pierce the air as the run around vigorously, escaping tackles and breaking for the goal line. Coach’s orders bellow out of the tall man’s mouth, calling out plays and screens, all to be followed down the exact detail, or else everyone did push-ups. Grunts and exasperations were relinquished from the kid’s mouths’ as they dropped down and gave the coach ten; multiple times. This keeps the public from using the field at this time, but however it does not affect the pubic from using the rest of the Commons. Continuing further into French’s Common, the ground turns to soft dirt and mulch. The playground area is built upon these grounds, as small children run around, never tiring or stopping. Swings, slides, rock climbing wall, fire poles, small tunnels and other stations occupy the children as the parents watch over their kids from a bench a few feet away. Three children occupy the tallest tower, from which the “best” slide was located. They bully one child from using the slide, blatantly standing in front of the ladder that brings you to this tower. Blocking him, they turn their backs as if not to notice. They ignore the kid’s pleas to come up, and laugh to themselves as the child was forced to climb back down the ladder. Even younger children play on the swings next to the slides and rock climbing wall. They talk to each other as they swung in unison. Occasionally they would kick the ground as they passed by, tossing up a cloud of dirt from behind them. Giving the playground a fortress of shade given off by a giant tree, in which is full of liveliness and buzzing with animal activity. Small birds land for a moments rest and take flight soon after. You could hear various animal sounds and calls, chirps and twitters. Squirrels chased each other up and down the maze of branches, racing back and forth among the trunk of the tree. Even animals can find their own sense of utopia, a perfect world, in French’s Common. Sitting next to the tree is a small concrete block, which many people seem to consider a tiny patio, upon which to rest and become an audience of this third place. Here, a small group of about eight teenagers sit, chain smoking cigarettes and talking. They rarely run around, only to do so when hitting one another playfully. They swear aloud, regardless of the small children nearby. They also talk obnoxiously loud, almost on the verge of screaming, and in fact, randomly yelling every now and then. They definitely seem to be in no rush, and seem to have no obligations to doing anything at all. They act as if they own the park, doing as they please, however rude or arrogant it may be. One individual out aged all of them by at least 10 years. He was nearly double the size of any of them, and had a scruffy looking beard, while the other kids were only thirteen to fifteen years old. Often, the word “Frenchies” was used to inform others of where they were as they talked on the phone. Further proving that this is their third place, their nickname for this common shows their comfort with the place, and how often they say it. Walking deeper into French’s Common, concrete ground expands vastly, upon a full basketball court, and two tennis courts. The basketball court seems worn out and worn down, with deep cracks near the sides and the paint has started to fade. On one hoop the net is torn and holding on by half the hooks that it had been. There is a bracket on the tree the overlooks the court. The bracket holds a light, which must turn on during the night for those outgoing basketball players. The tennis court has two nets, and ivy has started to grow around the chain link fence. This gives me the inclination to believe that it has been there for years, allowing the ivy to grow that far up the fence. The painted lines on the tennis court were in a lot better shape than the basketball courts, brighter and clearer to see. Teenagers and adults make up most of the population back here, practicing their jump shot and lay-ups, their serves and their backhanders. Pick up games occur on both halves of the basketball court, and some teenagers play aggressively while others are more passive and shy. An old couple played an easy game of tennis, weakly hitting the tennis ball and lobbing it over the net to be done once again. The other half of the tennis court is used for a recreational track, small children riding their bikes around the net multiple times, falling only a few times just to get right back on, insignificant, yet inspirational to watch. Nearing backyards, the scent of backyard grills flutter over into French’s Common. Aromas of steak, chicken, and burgers float gently through the air, sifting its way across the commons. Feeling the wind against my cheek, you can watch the smoke roll from the backyard into the commons, invading about the air, like a surprise attack on an enemy during war time. Sitting on the other side of the tennis courts is the back entrance to the commons, a very convenient route for those who live in the neighborhood that lies adjacent to the park. Here is where most people arrive with their dogs. Only on leashes, may people walk their dog in French’s Common, and the rule was obeyed to the fullest. Multiple dogs were being walked, aimlessly they walked about, stopping to sniff a pile of leaves, or defecating on the newly cut grass. The owners pretend to be looking for something on the other side of the commons, having left without cleaning up or acknowledging that it even happened. Many dogs are stopped by many of the children, petting the dog and asking its name or kind. Whether it’s a Braintree resident or an oblivious passerby, French’s Common is a home away from home for many kinds of people. The third place that allows them to be carefree and relaxed, away from their stress filled lives. From young to old, Frenches Common holds a niche for those select people who allow the charm of the commons take them into a euphoric state of mind. From the young kids who grew up around here to those adults who drive down to unwind after a stressful day. Symbolically, it could be said that French’s Common is what Braintree is about, and what Braintree is. It is a welcoming town, eager to meet new people and interact with them; entertain them. A town of history and charm, but yet can hold the attention of all the types of people. Located next to Town Hall, across from the library, people from all over Braintree come together to play sports, relax, and forget about their daily worries. Source:[|www.braintreebaberuth.org/ directions.html]