2004 Parade Wrap Up

Luc and I arrived home from the Lewis County Fair in Nezperce, Idaho our last parade for 2004 with a first place ribbon.   Our first blue, what a great way to end the season!   This was RMS Lippyluver Luc’s fourth and final parade in his young driving career and definitely his most challenging.

As we were waiting in the parade line up the float with the high school band came from behind Luc who had never been this close to the band before and this one was very impressive with lots of instruments.   Just as they were coming into his vision was the same time the drummer decided a loud drum roll would sound pretty awesome.   Just for fun and to make it more impressive, we’ll end it with a big symbol crash or two, Luc never flinched…I on the other hand about had a heart attack!

A few minutes later a large concrete truck came up behind us and blew the most foul and obnoxious horn…that got a thank-you-very-much from me after I took my heart and unplugged it from my throat. Again Luc stood quietly waiting for the parade to begin.

During the parade we were directly behind a very stinky tractor that blew lots of blue smoke into our noses and left puddles of oil all over the road.   In front of the noisy antique tractor was an old crawler that shook as it went down the road.   Behind us were the extremely loud combines that were slated for the combine demolition derby. Yep, I think Luc is noise broke or totally deaf.   He who can hear the gate latch at supper time from the back forty!

While I was getting ready to unhitch, a teenager came roaring by in one of the combines soon to be crashing into other combines at the demodulation derby.   This young man decided it would be a pretty cool way to impress his girlfriend by flipping cookies, throwing gravel and dust all over.   Problem was…it was next to us in the same parking area.   I don’t think they knew we were there.  Except, how is it possible to miss a 30 foot gooseneck trailer and pickup?   There was a horse tied to a trailer with a vehicle next to us.   The combine kids were close enough I could see the terror on the young lady’s face as she was desperately trying to hold on and not be thrown off the machine as it went round and round. It could have been a disaster as I had Luc tied to the trailer, hobbled and still attached to the cart.   I had just started to unhitch.   Luc stood there calmly waiting for the show to be over.   I have to admit I am more proud of our boy than I am of that beautiful blue first place ribbon that now hangs in our family room.   He got extra hugs and peppermint candies and many, many thank you's for being so wonderful.   I checked on the horse, he was extremely big eyed but unharmed.   The kids roared off drag racing another combine totally unaware, leaving us in their dust unblemished and grateful the spectacle was over.

It was a perfect parade season, posed for lots of pictures, face pettings from the kids and nice compliments from the adults.   We did our best to promote donkeys and tell everyone how truly wonderful they really are especially our RMS Lippyluver Luc, who the kids are starting to know by name and yes, he really likes that.

Kristi Kingma
Published in the Brayer Nov/Dec 2004