I was a tweenage clown

or; fun at the handcart days parade

Here in Utah, we celebrate the 24th of July, in memory of when the first pioneers first wheeled their wagons into the Salt Lake valley. Consequently, this is a really big holiday around these parts - fireworks, parades, the whole kit 'n kaboodle. (That the right spelling, BlueDev?

)

This year, I had an opportunity to be a clown in the parade here in my hometown of Bountiful. It's the second-biggest parade in the state, and it's pretty rockin'.

I didn't think I was going to be getting off work in time to make it, but I was, after all. (Maybe it's the whole "I'm quitting" vibe . . . they don't care as much about me these days.)

I ran home in a flurry. I had an hour to throw a costume together, and no ideas. Thankfully, my little sister Vanessa gave me a hand throwing together a punk-rock outfit. (I never have been one to follow the crowd . . .) We ripped the crap out of some old t-shirt, put some safety pins through it to hold it all together, painted my fingernails black, put a chain through my pants instead of a belt, and spiked my hair (my really, really still too short hair) straight up.

My mother began to freak out. "You're going to scare the crap out of all the little kids!!!" She sounded exasperated.

"Nah, they'll be fine," I reiterated as I waltzed out the door.

Thirty minutes and a KISS-esque makeup job later, I was ready for my job.

I was given a large sack of candy and told to walk up and down the parade route, giving it to the kids. I had forgotten how much fun a parade is for a young'un. Seeing the way the kids faces would light up as I would give them some taffy made the whole melting heat, silly costume, and dehydration worthwhile. Some of those little ones were so cute.

It made me miss my nieces and nephew . . .

All in all, it was a great time. But, the following day at work, the painted fingernails allowed me to perform quite the interesting social experiment (article concerning which is forthcoming . . .)

Washing all that paint off was a hassle, but I loved every minute of it. Plus, now I've got a rockin' punk costume for next Halloween!

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