Catfish Queen

Well it's Fish Fry weekend in the city of the World's Biggest Fish Fry. I was going through some old books today and found a "book" we put together in my senior English class with the fabulous Ms. Rhea. I laughed when I read my entry - it was about Fish Fry, and was dated April 28, 1989. I figure with timing like that, I should share:

The sun beat down, setting the pavement on fire. The hot, moist air coupled
with the large crowd made for difficult breathing. People lined both sides of
the street, sprawled on chairs, quilts, or on the ground. Some sat in the backs
of trucks, on cars, and some stood. Others walked up and down the street calling
to friends as they passed. Some people wore shorts, some were in bathing suits,
and some were in jeans. Toddlers ran around on the grassy lawns in their
diapers, their little tan feet hopping back and forth. Dogs tied to lawn chairs
sat with their tongues out, trying to find shade. The air smelled of hot dogs,
cotton candy, and hot asphalt. Men pushed carts loaded with novelty items like
balloons, snap-n-pops, whistles and stuffed animals. Small cramped trailers were
hosts to long lines of people wanting hot dogs, snow cones, and Cokes.
Clowns roamed in and of the crowds selling balloons and making little
children laugh. Beauty queens on flowery floats rolled by. Little girls twirling
batons almost as big as them strutted by in their leotards. Girl Scouts and Boy
Scouts rode proudly by, throwing candy to the crowd. Bands marched, following their ever-moving directors. Music filled the air. The big horses with heads held high marched proudly, bringing up the end. Slowly people began to collect their belongings and leave. Paper littered the streets, the sidewalks, the yards, everywhere. Another
Fish Fry parade was over.