07-04-09

07-04-09
I woke to the sound of raindrops on my roof and my phone. My niece Katelyn called. She and my sister Nan were on their way to Saint Peter for the big 4th of July Parade. I grabbed an umbrella and bag chair and we went to the parade. The rain was actually cozy. The street was lined with spectators under umbrellas. It was fun to see the parade which was always such a big part of summer when I was a kid. There was an old fire truck that I think was the one I got to ride in when I was very young. My family still teases me that I started screaming and crying from the siren. There was a cute little blonde haired boy riding in it who had both of his hands over his ears. It made me smile and reassured me that that siren WAS loud…he wasn’t crying like a little girl though. The Republican Party float had no one it. “I guess that’s all that’s left of them”, I joked to Nan. The Best Buy Geek Squad, who makes house calls to hook up your electronics, was having trouble with their equipment. One guy was standing out the open van door trying to get the speakers on the roof to work. “Need a little help with that” I shouted.
After the parade we met my mom and dad back at the campground. They brought everything you need for a picnic. It was great to relax and chat.
Around 4:30 I walked down to Minnesota Square Park, where they have a festival after the parade that lasts all day. When I got there it was virtually empty. There were just a few vendors packing up. I guess the days seemed longer when I was little. I walked back through downtown which was very quiet and headed back to the bus.
While on my laptop I could hear the tractor pull at the fairgrounds several miles away. “Tacky”, I thought. That’s where the fireworks and much of the town would be later. Even though I was here to track down old friends I really felt like staying in and decided to do so.
Then I got a call from one of my best friends from high school, Dan Brenke. He called another great friend, Brady Paul and they came over. I now had a change of heart and was super excited to see them and go out. We watched the fireworks from the boat landing by the campground. I showed them some old pictures I had of us partying from way back when. They were surprised and didn’t remember many of the memories like, climbing up the Old Milwaukee Beer billboard, or the two of them swinging wildly, drunk up in a tree out in the woods.
We went to the Embassy Bar where they seemed to be regulars. It was concrete and steel. No messin’ ‘round with window coverings, or lamp shades. I wondered, “If I never left home would this be where I hung out?” I wore shoes so I wouldn’t get beat up for my painted toe nails.
It was great to see these guys. It was another example of, “everything’s changed, yet somehow it’s exactly the same”.
We went to a bon fire at Dan’s neighbor’s out in the country. Tales of, “remember the time” spun late into the night.
Brady and his girlfriend gave me a ride home and I went straight for my pillow.