Everybody loves a parade
by Bob on October 31, 2007
Everybody loves a parade, they say.
Today was the Boston Red Sox baseball team's victory parade here in downtown Boston, from the baseball stadium at Fenway Park, through downtown across Boylston Street, and up Tremont Street to Government Center and City Hall. There are tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of people along the parade route. It is a beautiful sunny day here in Boston.
I was just there. We almost got crushed going to the office building where from the third floor we had a perfect bird's eye view. I had to shield the lady I was with from the crushing crowd, to get us around the corner. We almost did get crushed near Park Street and Winter Street. But we survived to get into the office building.
There was about ten "duck mobiles" amphibious tour vehicles that we have in Boston for tourists but which were specially cleaned for the team.
It was impressive.
As a musician, I was most happy to see Jonathan Papelbon, the winning pitcher, with one of my favourite Boston rock bands, The Dropkick Murphys. Papelbon was doing his Irish jig, and the Dropkick Murphys played two songs, classic ones. "I'm Shipping Up to Boston" by Woody Guthrie, and then the crowd pleaser, "Dirty Water" originally by The Standells from 1966. It's all about Boston but a little dated from the 1960s, my times.
The Dropkick Murphys were brilliant and enjoyable.
And of course there was a round of everyone chanting, "Yankees suck!". This is Boston, after all. The first haircut I had in Boston when I got up here was in a barber shop right under a printed sign that said "Yankees Suck!". Of course, I am from New York City, felt a little awkward, but wanted my hair cut well and my head still on, so I just took it in stride. I wasn't holding the scissors and razor.