Ok, so I’m not sure if technically it’s a small town, but our adopted hometown, whose border sits about 10 yards from R-house, sure feels that way most of the time. Especially when R-kids and I are riding our bikes downtown to the bank, or the post office, or the movie store, or the baseball game, or—oh yeah—the summer parade!
We Minnesotans love our parades, and every town around here proudly produces its own every year. They’re nothing fancy, but seriously all it takes is someone driving a silly, motorized anything down the middle of the street and waving or chucking candy at me, and I’m hooked. Mesmerized. I love it. The kitschier, the better. I’m looking for big, big hair on the beauty queens, and big, fake flowers on the floats.
There’s something to be said for sitting next to your neighbors and cheering on the marching band. It seems to bring a little relief to whatever we’ve all been trudging through this past year. It’s like stepping back a few decades into a simple, sweet, untarnished moment together. Or maybe it’s having that simple, sweet, untarnished moment right here in our own decade.
Anyway, here’s to finding a little small-town goodness, and possibly a great parade, wherever you live.
by julie rybarczyk
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