For a number of years, I got a kick out of how in my home town back east everyone would go out to the Fourth of July parade route, days before the parade, and stake their claim to a front row seat by slappin' some chairs down on some prime real estate and leaving them there until parade day. I was always smug about this - back here in the Midwest, we don't do it that way. We all just show up and get along, and there's room for everyone.
Well, not any more, as these pictures attest. We're all about lining up our prime spots in advance. This year it's a few chairs - I predict that in a few years, there will be many more chairs and blankets out there - and they'll be there DAYS in advance.
The whole phenomenon seems oddly American to me, sort of like Homesteading back in the day. Go stake out your property; everyone's entitled. So I am not totally down on the thing, although there is a sorta crass "me"-ism to it. We noticed when our kids graduated from high school that the same thing happens prior to graduation ceremonies. The day before, people came in and laid claim to the best seats in the house by leaving tape, or papers, with their name on it.
Anyhow, regardless of whether you are sitting smugly at home right now, knowing you have an ideal location squared away for tomorrow's Big Parade, I hope you have a great Fourth, and a decent Fifth and Sixth as well.
2 comments:
I saw all the hometown chairs lined up on my way home from work today.
Last year in 2007, someone put a chair up on the 5th with a big sign.."reserved for 7/4/08" as a joke. I thought that was a pretty funny take on the old claim-staking thing.
Look forward to the parades. Have a safe and happy 4th. Please say a prayer for the troops.
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