Saturday, June 18, 2011

Oakland USA

Standing in front of the Brown and Beige Episcopal Church, painted with left over paint from the old Rail Road Station.  I watched my fifth Jefferson  County Watermelon parade: 
Cop cars, 
Fire Trucks; 
Ashville Fire Trucks
Jefferson County* Waissa Truck # 7; Engine # 1; 
Gainesville Volunteer Fire Department; 
Convertable BMW's with grand Marshall for the 60th Watermelon parade; 
Marine Marching Band from Georgia playing "From the Halls of Montezuma"; 
Baby photo contest winners on flat bed trucks,
Teenage Watermelon pagent winners,
Miss. Watermelon;
regally wave at their servants.
Smokey the bear in a John Deere Tractor says "Only You!"; 
Scottish Bagpipes Marching in Plaid Kilts 
Cylar Howard Family Reunion members having fun with a  
Remote Control Car that zips around;
Candidates for future elections hand out pencils, and wave eagerly.
Free Masons and Vietnam Veterans 
Marzuq Bandits in mini clown cars doing circle eights; 
Mini Nascars driven by Mason gearing up; 
Swamp Thing- a hunting platform driving down main street; 
A mini big foot built from a Suzuki Samurai Body; 
Jefferson County Football Warriors play at 6 pm.                                                     
Confederate Soldiers march for a war that has not ended (yet)
I wave my Confederate  Battle Flag at the
boys, in the alligator hunting platform.
Memories of
when I was a hyper kid
jumping up and down for parades.
I am carried to the festival by
smells of fried Mullet, 
 wafting into
 muggy air.
Followed
by the
Sheriff
and Street
Sweepers.

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