The End of the Parade at the Beginning of the Year at the End of a Decade
Rose Parade
Pasadena
January 1, 2019
We introduced Ellie's boyfriend Matt ("He's not my boyfriend!!") to the Rose Parade, and our slacker tradition of sleeping in and catching it at the end of its 5-mile, 2-hour run, when all the high school bands are exhausted and the floats bent over and broken, many dragging along behind tow trucks.
We risked a few Danger Dogs. I think maybe Matt had two-- ah, the folly of youth!
And, as always, the site of the Altadena Sheriffs in their green uniforms triggered panic deep inside me, an instinctive reaction dating back to reckless high-school nights four decades ago, careening around the dark streets of Altadena in little Fiats and Hondas, committing countless misdemeanors and fleeing for our freedom. Today, safely in middle age, I view every other cop as a sort of helpful, if occasionally misguided, public servant; but the Altadena Sheriffs remain an exception.
Interestingly, this came up in my catch-up with Habib a few months ago --and he admitted to a bit of the same.
