Busier than usual so many more images to assimilate. First a fond favorite – going to Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati. Was Clemens pitching? I didn’t notice. Did the Reds win? Okay, I did notice. But it barely affected my mood.
Oh but there’s a peacefulness felt there on the orderly diamond. Perhaps I've played just enough baseball to be able to feel every hit and shag every fly. My muscles have memories and I move with the fielders and strike with the hitters and they don’t even know it. The field is an effervescent green and the sun shines unfailingly. And the boats go by on the muddy river just outside the stadium. And all I can think is: I have to get here again. We move to the smoking section and smoke cigars behind an imaginary line that an usher enforces. And we drink Germanic beer in a Germanic town as the Germanic Reds, slow of foot but hefty of bat, strike out like so many Mighty Caseys (or at least the German equivalent).
The next day is the 4th and so there is the parade tour. First the local parade; we ride there on our bikes and catch some of it. My favorite was the barbershop singers singing “God Bless America”. Then we go to the alternative 4th of July parade, the DooDah Parade, because I wanted to see how the other half (progressives) live. We left Red State America and travel fifteen minutes to Blue State.
As we walk to the parade site we see them lining up and there's an old man sitting on a chair wearing nothing but a barrell, and we fear that he doesn’t have anything on underneath. We don’t verify.
The parade starts and I’m wondering when dressing like a priest or nun will get old. Apparently some schticks just ne’er get old. And they must hate the Church to endure 93 degree temperatures dressed in black. They go by carrying a banner that says “Separation of Church and Hate”.
Then there’s a float with a huge dinosaur straddled by the “Runaway Bride” dressed in a wedding dress. Later a float of full-figured ladies allied against breast reduction surgery. My favorite was the little group of five that held signs saying “People Against Signs” and “Signs Lie” and such. My type of humor. The DooDah parade makes me wishes Red America's parades were no less patriotic but with more wit & humor.
DooDah parade (photo credits: my wife)... another pic here & here
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