Can't Break Away From This Parade

I grew up in the Pumpkin Capital of the World. Every year as a child I waited with baited breath for the annual Pumpkin Festival, held the second week of September. As an elementary student I would marvel as they allowed carnies to assemble rides on our playground. Sure, it meant no kickball for a week, but the joy of the Scrambler and Tilt-O-Whirl far outweighed the costs.

Now you would think that anticipation of the festival would die with age. No, I tell you, it does not. For just today I got an email from my father which read...

A few chairs appeared near Mississippi and Jefferson late MONDAY morning; by 9 o'clock MONDAY NIGHT they are beginning to spread toward downtown.
Don't fear--don't shed a tear---I shall surrender and be out Tuesday morning.

I do not know if this happens in other towns, but residents of Morton place chairs out along the parade route days in advance to mark their terrority in a socially acceptable way. When I was in college, it was usually a day or two before the parade, but now it is almost six days before the first Shriner climbs into his tiny little car.
It makes me wonder if there will come a time when people will just leave their chairs out year round. But I guess you got to do what you got to do to get the best candy grabbing locations.

And to my readers in Morton, good luck getting a spot. Let me know if there are choice spots left.

Part of the festival I will miss the most: The Rat Game