the talking dog

Mrs. TD, the Loquacious Pup and I attended Coney Island's annual Mermaid Parade , where we were joined by Queens blogworld legend Julia of Sisyphus Shrugged along with husband and child. The two little girls were designated "swag magnets", as parade participants couldn't help but shower cheap goods on the two cute little girls as they passed by.

The Mermaid Parade (a 21 year "tradition") is intended to be the kick-off to the Coney Island summer season, on the Saturday closest to solstice (in this case, on it, the first day of summer, ahem). Prevailing conditions were approximately 60 degrees Fahrenheidt (that's 15 degrees Celsius more or less) and some wind, and an interesting driving rain. Summer just seemed really far away. The weather was much more reminiscent of the other reason I go to Coney Island, the Brooklyn Half Marathon, which kicks off the half marathon season-- but does so in March. Good fun was had by all.

No, really. The irony is, Mrs. TD and I had no problem having our 3-year old see this event, which struck us as fundamentally wholesome, despite the numerous S&M practitioners marching along in full whip and chain regalia, mermaids who seem to have left their bras in the ocean, mermen with interesting cod-pieces, and classic cars now defined as '73 Darts. There were also lots of hokey marching bands, many representatives of numerous taverns, and inexplicable groups competing for best float and costume, all having a nice time in the driving rain. Even the minivan belonging to the Manhattan Libertarian Party seemed appropriate-- this seemed to be a come as you are party-- I'm told reminiscent of what the Greenwich Village Halloween Parade once was, before it became "an event".

In short-- this is small town America, New York City and Brooklyn style, on a human scale. Freedom of expression that I have no doubt that Bill Bennett and George W. Bush would probably have problems with (pagan sea god worship and all). Something, as I see it, from a bygone era. With Coney Island, the definition of something from a bygone era, as its backdrop, the parade more reminded me of something that might happen in the Haight or West Hollywood (not that I have been to similar events in those venues-- but I digress), than New York. But here it was: Mardis Gras on a moment's notice. A come as you are party, meant for warmer, sunnier weather.

In the nationally franchised, branded, homogenized, sterilized world in which we spend most of our lives, something local, something real. While it lasts, anyway, something precious.

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