14 April 2008



Saturday morning I awoke to the ever visceral sound of bagpipes in the distance. As they got closer and closer I realised they were coming my way. At first I thought it was a funeral procession but then I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter. Away to the window I flew like a flash, tore open the shutters and threw up the sash and what did I see? The St. Patricks baseball leagues opening day parade. It was disgustingly adorable. Little kids with their shiny new cognac leather gloves in their adorable uniforms and giant adjustable mesh hats that looked like giant buckets on their little heads. The parade outlasted the bagpipes unfortunately. The bagpipes faded out and there were still marchers, well, marching. It was like the opening of a Muppet movie. A circus had come to town. Little kids rubbing their eyes ready to play baseball at 9am, parents trailing behind lugging great mounds of little coats, windbreakers and handbags whilst desperately trying to juggle their steaming Dunkin Donuts coffee at the same time.

All that was missing was an actual marching band and the guys with those tall funny feathered hats beating on bass drums and blowing their trombones. And before we closed the Venetian blinds we spied a cute golden retriever stopping to take a shit. All the excitement must have gotten the best of him.

It felt very small town and wonderful. Made me love Bay Ridge even more.

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