Three years ago I saw my first Bloomington 4th of July parade in 100 degree heat. The parade consisted primarily of dump trucks and sundry patriots. This morning, I walked down to the parade route in a refreshing 67 degree rain storm. It was raining so hard, I figured they would cancel. Not a chance! After an interminable prayer, two minutes of silence, the singing of the national anthem, a rendition of taps, and a ten gun salute, the parade started. All the usual suspects – Mustang convertibles (top closed, naturally), vintage Army Jeeps, the League of Women Voters, the city’s intramural football team, and Bloomington’s own Beanpole the God of Pointless Behavior, who seemed to be having a great deal of trouble this year with float mechanics. At some point, the MC said something about renewable energy sources. If you hadn’t noticed these days, nothing says green like red, white, and blue.

And then, from a block away, I saw the gold tips against the sky and the reason I’d dressed in my summer best. It might be that in my excitement to beat to the front of the crowd, I missed the MC’s introduction. Or perhaps he simply pretended not to notice the fifteen foot flaming gold float surrounded by stylish people dancing with hand-sewn fish and rainbow umbrellas. But I noticed, and so did the grandma standing next to me who asked, “Is that a Pride float?” It was a hot Technicolor beam of love in a tepid gray sea of american eagle t-shirts, and it’s a miracle I didn’t tear up because parades always make me cry, and so do happy gay people, especially when they’re wearing red cowgirl outfits. Luckily I was too busy trying to make Nerdmeyr’s camera work to be sentimental.

I also managed not to get in a fight with grandma who just had to say that she thought it was inappropriate which meant I just had to get my fur up and hiss “there’s nothing wrong with gay people” before stalking off. What an understatement! Every town should be so lucky to have such a handsome float in their 4th of July parade. Yeah big love!