There Are Always Rules

There are always rules in anything that we do. Rules can be spoken or upspoken. They can be obeyed or disobeyed. When it comes to parades, the number one rules is that the horses ALWAYS go at the end. The marching band just does not appreciate high stepping through horse doo. Number two rule is HANG on. The man driving the dual cab pick-up, the semi-truck or tractor cannot usually see the children that he is hauling around and you just do know know when one of the red hat ladies are going to come to a screeching halt on the golf cart ahead of you. #3 Sunscreen. You will be in that parade a hell of a long time which leads us to #4 Go to the bathroom before getting onto your float.

Other rules are not so simple and they are learned along the way.

After the first year of Bebo riding on a fire truck in the parade, we learned that one does not fling hard candy or suckers. They explode upon contact and you are left with a wrapper of glass candy shards. ~grins~ That was also the year we learned about the sunscreen.

The parade in Clarendon has always been at 2:00 in the afternoon except for one time about 2 years ago. That year it was at 10:00 in the morning and it was so very enjoyable! It was a nice cool temp and a light breeze. But the powers that be (anyone about the age of 65) were not please with that AT ALL because it had *just not ever been done like that*. So, we are back to a parade on July 4th at 2:00 in the afternoon. Then everyone uses waterproof sunscreen cause they are sweating so much.

Did I mention that Clarendon has brick streets?

A few years ago, the parade was smack dab in the middle of one of the hottest summers on record. It was miserable but we all lined up like good patriots to watch the parade go by. Our parade is always led by 2 men on horse back carrying the flags ( the only time that the *rule* is set aside). That is a time when I always feel my heart in my throat. Then follows the fire department (and Bebo), the local law enforcement, ambulances, boy and girl scouts, VBS floats, the parade queen and so on and so forth. You could tell that even the riders in the parade were fading fast due to the heat. Then, the football team comes by on a flat bed trailer and what are they doing? They all have super dooper water guns and begin the spray the crowd!! A collective sigh rises up from the crowd as the first drops hit the bystanders. RELIEF! Sweet precious relief! The crowd moves even closer to be squirted by those brave wonderful boys and their sent by God waterguns! Following close behind is the cheerleaders. Ultra peppy! They are also riding in a flat bed trailer and this one has a big old stock tank on it. MORE WATER the crowd thinks all of the same time. The cheerleaders arms reach into that stock tank all at the same time....the crowd moves forward thinking that they are about to receive another watery prize and....well....they did.

Have you ever been in a crowd and everyone comes to the same conclusion at the same time without anyone saying a word???

The smiles from the parade goers began to turn into screams of horror as they watched the first ice cold bottle of water bounce of the head of someone in the crowd. The people could not get back onto the sidewalk fast enough. Great idea.....poor execution.

Now the cheerleaders walk along side of the moving stock tank and meekly hand out bottles of water.

Bebo and I went to see Baby Gator and FSIL and attend the parade in the town without a frown this past weekend. Small town parades are the same everywhere and this was no exception until we got to the flinging part. These people began to fling ice pops to the crowd. Frozen ice pops. Ice pops are flavored sugar syrup that is frozen in long thin strips of plastic. The water bottles could be described as small bombs. The frozen ice pops? Frozen missles of death. I kid you not! They could have put an eye out! The only thing worse that was flung? Ice pops that had not been frozen. #1 people who throw those would be the same people that give out raisins at halloween and #2 they explode their syrupy contents upon impact. Less fun than getting your eye poked out is sticking to everyone else in the crowd.

We have already started to plan out what Bebo will throw to the parade crowd next year.