July 1st is the day we became a nation, and no longer a colony, in the British Commonwealth! (For the Yanks, think a peaceful July 4th) So the city was shut down, business-wise, and a parade was held along the main artery, through the downtown core. I marched right behind the lead band (the Black Watch Pipes and Drums) and was amazed that so few people actually lined the route. I commented to a traffic control cop, after the parade, that more peope show up in cold snowy March weather for the St. Patrick Day parade, which isn't even a legal holiday, then show up for our NATIONAL day. The cop, who was born in Quito, Ecudor, but raised here, agreed He said that there is usually a 5 to 1 ratio.
After the parade, ther was a "party" held in a big park at the end of the route, and I was asked to go onto the presentation platform, with a couple of other vets to receive the salute for the singing of " Oh Canada". As I was leaving the stage, a young man came out of the crowd and said that he wanted to shake my hand and thank me/us for all we gave for our country. I was literally moved to tears ( away from the crowds, of course) that a teen would be so supportive of a generation of old farts, to which he had no lien or connection. It really made me proud, and think that maybe there is hope! But no......
When I got back to where I had parked. I found that some M'F'r couldn't be bothered spending 2 bucks for a flag to wave at the parade, and had stolen the one I always fly from my car, breaking the support in the process. Hell, the thing was only screwed in, he didn't have to break it, aside from stealing my flag. Gotta go get a new one tomorrow
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Whine Not. It Won't Help
Rantings of an Old Man
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Sleeping_Bear
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