Get Your Irish On!

Twenty years ago a friend of mine talked me into buying a pair of jeans that I didn't really want to buy.  The jeans have a white background with a shamrock pattern on them. I usually wear them once a year. I wore them today when I got up because today is March 17th.  I wasn't sure what I was going to do on this day off of work.  The weather was beautiful so I decided to go to the 52nd annual Saint Patrick Day parade in Saint Paul. I have heard about this parade since I was in high school. Some students would skip school to go to the parade. I never did. In college some kids would skip college to go to the parade. I never did. These people claimed to have a good time at the parade but it sounded a tad dangerous to me. Public intoxication is not always a pleasant experience to witness. I did enjoy myself at the parade today though.  I chose a sunny spot to stand where I could see well but as soon as the parade started my view was obstructed. I offered to take a picture for a group of four people standing next to me.  One woman in the group claimed to know me. She insisted. Turns out we did know each other from 5 years ago.  We were in the same book club. I couldn't see much of the parade from where I stood. I heard the Saint Paul Police Band go by and they were pretty good.  A couple groups of bag pipes went by and, well, they sounded like bag pipes. Eventually I moved off my high perch to get closer to the action. Amy Kloubachar walked by but all I could see were her signs. Some families walked by. The Finnegan family sand a nice song that involved spelling out there name. The  Taafe family walked by. The O'Connells walked by. The O'Neill's went by singing a chant, "Give me an O. Give me a N. Give me an E. Give me an I.  Give me a L. Give me another L. What does that spell?" When they yelled out what it spelled the entire family went down on one knee and I thought that was a comic touch so I clapped.  Some people threw candy.  I held up my hand hoping to catch some candy and the guy next to me put a tootsie roll in my hand. I thanked him. Every so often I would yell out, "Hey Timmy!" or "Hey there Shannon." The 20 year old woman next to me asked, "Do you know those people?" I told her no, I was just yelling out random names.  She said she liked me. I said I liked her too.  She asked me what was in my drink bottle. I showed her the tea bag string for the green tea.  She, obviously drinking something stronger than green tea, said that was a great trick and she was going to use it herself. I stayed about an hour when a tall man next to me almost knocked me over as he dove to the street to pick up a sour patch candy.  I walked back to my car in a good mood.  I was happy to finally witness a Saint Patrick's Day parade in the capital city of Saint Paul. Now I can put my shamrock pants away until March 17, 2019.