Find a map. In the junk drawer, on a classroom wall, or ask your virtual assistant to see “the USA”. Now, close your eyes, spin around and pick a spot on the map, any spot, any town. Look closer…expand…expand…down to street level…it may take a minute but you will find one…Main Street. Big city or small town, it’s there.
We have one, runs through the corner of Bonner and Main, three blocks long. On the left is the county museum, the Sportman’s club, pawn & gun store, art gallery and the best burgers in town. On the right; city hall and police station, insurance and real estate offices, an antique furniture store and great coffee shop. Enough empty store fronts to communicate the modern era.
A few days a year Main streets fill up. People walk to town, ride bikes or drive cars to get together; parade day.
Watching the parade? Make a left onto Main Street and pick a spot on the curb. You can find three generations of our family gathered together on Huckleberry corner. In the parade? Make a right and head for the fairgrounds – be there at 9:30AM and just get in line, parade starts at 10:00.
Don’t be surprised if our small town parade is exactly what you expected. Complete with pets dressed in Navy Ceremonial Uniform, teenagers wearing coordinated USA flag shorts, shirts and matching head bands.
Just after 10, the color guard (we have two, one on horseback, one on foot) stops in front of Georgia Mae Plaza. The national anthem is played, and folks shift in unison toward the flag.
Then, with the Free and Brave still echoing back from South Hill, comes the high school marching band, 4H and FFA trailers, horse clubs, fire trucks and emergency vehicles with lights ablaze, from every fire district in the county.
It is spring, so the classic cars have emerged from their hibernation, waxed and wiped to reflection; engines don’t purr, they gurgle down the street. The local celebrities always turn out; John Deer, Case and Avery. They never seem to age. Kids watch for the boots, big fire boots, filled with candy, to be thrown out along the way. Jean pockets are just too small to stuff handfuls of taffy, toffee, butterscotch and Smarties so make sure to bring your own bag.
All in all, those telling stories of old, those watching life sized toys rolling down the street, and those figuring it out one day at a time, come out and cheer. Collectively we cheer on heroes who served in battles of the past, heroes who stand on a wall or draw a line in the sand to protect our country, our city, our homes and families; heroes who put broken bodies back together, and heroes who faithfully patrol our streets and come if we call.
On this particular day, those watching, and those riding, all unite to remember the men and women who gave their very breath so we could have a Main Street.
“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” The Bible, Book of John, Chapter 15, verse 13
- Jason
Header Image: Showing lil' brother the ropes - Annual 3 Borders Car Show
Inset Image: Flag Salute
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