So when I left off last time, I had us waiting (and wilting) in the heat for the Mermaid parade to start. And we’d just heard, in the distance, a police siren...and samba music.
In a word, huh?
A few minutes later, we got the explanation for the situation. Coming up the street, accompanied by sudden applause from the crowd, was an official car of some sort. I guess it was an unmarked police car. Anyway, it was from the car that the siren came. Also, now and then, the driver would wave to the crowd.
Following the car closely was...no kidding...an Austin-based Samba club. Dancers came up the street, some dressed as mermaids, most not, and they Sambaed along with great gusto. Behind them, came their band, men and women in blue and white, with white hats, and all with drums, marching happily.
And, behind them, came the first of the floats--an attractive middle age woman in a mermaid outfit, sitting in a boat on wheels, being pulled by a tractor. She waved and the crowd cheered back. Her boat was marked, “Mermaid on Duty,” and, in front of her, was a stuffed mer-pig...Ralph himself, I presume.
About the photos: several today. These are just a bunch of shots I took at the parade itself. (I’ll post more in coming weeks.)
Following her was a street of marchers, marching bands, marching dancers...and float, after float, after float. Indeed, floats were the dominant theme of the parade--which makes perfect sense, if you think about it. If you have a mermaid-themed parade, then you have a lot of people wearing...er...fishtails. Or, rather, costumes with fishtails. And, well, by George, by Golly, if you have a fishtail, it’s kinda hard to walk.
So, most of the parade consisted of moving vehicles, upon which reclined women and girls...and a few men and boys...dressed as merpeople.
It was, actually, quite a parade. Virtually every organization in the area had their own homebuilt, DIY float. There were tiny little girls representing ballet schools... women in sombreros and much modified Jarabe outfits representing the region’s Hispanic heritage...there were cheerleader squads (teens and children)...there were girl scouts and brownie troops...there were local businesses and firms...
There was also (no kidding), here in Deep Red Texas, where just a few years ago thugs tried to run the Biden Bus off the road, a float of Young Democratic Socialists from the local University...
And there were other, more establishment, political figures -- a state senator (she did not wear a mermaid costume, surprise surprise), for instance. Plus, there was a serious military vehicle went by with a sign reading “Mayor and City Council,” except that the mayor herself didn’t seem to be in it.
Honestly, I really enjoyed the parade. It was fun, and comfortable, and not over the top. It felt like a real community event...with people from every walk of life participating. It didn’t feel like it had been co-opted by corporations, the way that, frankly, some of the larger parades in bigger cities feel like they’ve long ago abandoned their audiences, and function exclusively as advertising venues for everything from animated movies to fast food franchises.
This parade felt...I don’t know...real somehow. It felt like the people in the parade and the people in the audience merged seamlessly with one another. It felt as though this year’s spectator might be next year’s participant, and vice versa.
Anyway, here’s what I wrote about it in my journal that evening: “Lot of fun. Very colorful, very camp, very energetic. Trucks, cars, and floats went past with little girls, teenagers, and grown women in mermaid costumes. A few boys and men as well.” And, if you read the word “camp” in that entry, you’ll know that, yes, there were a few rainbow flags here and there. And some of the “mermaids” weren’t, that is, maids. Which I thought to be a good thing, and a positive sign, in this conflicted age.
I have no idea how long the parade lasted. We bailed out after a couple of hours, at which time it was still going strong. But, the heat was getting to us, so we headed back to the hotel for a rest and a shower. Then...what the heck?...we took a dip in the hotel’s little pool. It was a great way to end the morning.
Then we looked and realized we needed lunch. Great, we thought. This would be the next phase of our adventure.
We didn’t know it, but things were about to get...complicated.
But that’s for next time.
Then, my obligatory shot of Martha looking smashing. This is from one of our trips to San Antonio and the Starving Artist art gallery.
Copyright©2024 Michael Jay Tucker
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