Clarkie stOPS on the Street, Gets Hit by Safety Escort Van

On Sunday, September 25th, hundreds of members of the Worcester community made their way onto Park Avenue for stART on the Street, one of Worcester’s greatest annual festivals. The half-mile stretch of road was packed with local artists and crafters showing and selling their works of art. For many, the experience was intoxicating. It was a beautiful day, the event was packed with people, and colorful and quirky crafts waited under each new tent.

For one new Clarkie, however, the experience was all too overwhelming. Julie Collins (’20) became so entranced with stARTing that within a few hours of the event’s conclusion her excited exploration transformed into a zombie-like trance. Loved ones told The Freudian Slip that even after vendors began packing up, Julie didn’t stOP stARTing. “She just kept wandering up and down Park Ave. with her biodegradable grocery bag full of handmade necklaces and earrings for hours.” stated roommate Kara Roache, “I tried to bring her home, but she wouldn’t even acknowledge me talking to her.” Kara reportedly gave up on Julie about 20 minutes before the cafeteria closed that evening, but went back Monday morning to find her roommate still roaming Park Avenue. “I brought friends this time. Julie had collected more things overnight. Her bag was filled with sticks and rocks and beer cans.” She told The Freudian Slip, “It was very concerning.” Kara and her friends then alerted University Police and called Julie’s parents.

Thus began a 10-day extraction process. Julie’s parents drove up from Rhode Island, University Police shut down the street, and Julie’s PA group organized their first reunion to arrange an intervention. More and more students joined the cause, showing their support. Morale was high for the first few days, but after a week many began to fear that Julie would ever be able to snap the spell. Finally, on the evening of Wednesday, October 5th, 2016, when all hope seemed to be lost, one anonymous Clarkie exclaimed, “Hey! It’s almost fall break!” The crowd fell silent and checked the dates on their phones, and from that silence rose a tiny voice coming from the road. “Mom?”

Everyone turned with disbelief.

After nearly two weeks of nonstop stARTing, Julie Collins had finally stopped on the street, right in the middle of Park Avenue. And in that euphoric moment, with the entire student body welcoming her back onto campus, Julie took her first steps toward the sidewalk, and was hit by a Clark Safety Escort Vehicle.

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