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For the past two weeks some neighbors of mine had been working on something large, wooden, and vaguely train-shaped in their driveway. I suspected it might be a float for today's parade and, since the route ran almost to my doorstep, I got to see it this morning. It was an immense yellow locomotive bearing the number 1711, which was the year the town was founded, and a caption that read "The Train: Needham's past and future". It was propelling itself nicely, but with no visible or audible sign of a motor.
One of the other floats sounded a distinctly discordant note, blaring out "Born in the USA", a song about America's failings.
This year's parade was much longer than any that I remember, and I think that's because it was as much a celebration of the town's tercentenary than of the events of 1776, which, after all, took place elsewhere in the Commonwealth (or Province, as it then was). George Washington never slept here, no redcoats came near the place, and Needhamites pretty much carried on with life as usual as far as I know.
One of the other floats sounded a distinctly discordant note, blaring out "Born in the USA", a song about America's failings.
This year's parade was much longer than any that I remember, and I think that's because it was as much a celebration of the town's tercentenary than of the events of 1776, which, after all, took place elsewhere in the Commonwealth (or Province, as it then was). George Washington never slept here, no redcoats came near the place, and Needhamites pretty much carried on with life as usual as far as I know.
