Parade

Parade

I love parades, but I’m quite short. It wasn’t a problem when I was a kid because I could get right up in front, but as a grown-up it’s considered rude.

Today however, I was really enjoying this parade. My group happened to end up next to a wide wall. It was around a park or something so I didn’t think anyone would mind if I climbed up on it. It was wonderful! I could see everything, and everybody! Between floats I began watching people as I waited for the next to come along.

As I ‘people watched’ I caught sight of a guy dressed in a suit, most of the crowd were casual. I wondered if he’d stepped out of work to watch. He had a really cute face making me wish I’d been on that side of the street. As I watched him, he raised his hand as if he was pointing at the float that was passing.

Abruptly, there was a loud boom, like a shot. People screamed and I could see someone in the float falling over, bleeding, holding his chest. Everything came to a halt, people were screaming and running. I glanced back to the man I’d been watching, but he was gone.

I stayed on the wall for a while not knowing what to do. Finally, I decided to get down and find my friends. Thinking it smarter to get off in the park side than in the chaos of the street side, I slid down onto the grass.

There was the man I’d been watching, pointing his gun directly at me. “You saw me didn’t you…” he said, quietly. “I’m so sorry.”