Independence Day trivia
Just in case anyone read my opinion column last week when I pondered how many flags might be seen flying in Peabody on this July Fourth, I want you to know that two people went out and counted them for us. Ah, the power of the press! Oddly enough, they were members of the same family.
Marion Rosine counted 242 flags. She even broke it down into categories. Businesses displayed 27 flags and 215 homes had Old Glory out for all to see.
Marion's son, Jimmy Philpott, was on duty for the police department Friday and, as he drove around town, he also counted flags. His total was 279. (I expect he just knows about more alleys, side streets, and out-of-the-way places because of his job.)
So that is the count. Somehow I thought it would be more. Maybe next year it will be.
Everyone in our 500 block of Walnut stood for the color guard as it marched by. I hope it was for all the right reasons and not because they thought I would name them in this column if they didn't. I also hope that folks all along the parade route did the same.
We bought forty-eleven pounds of candy to throw from our two floats and the other parade entries threw forty-eleven pounds of candy right back at us as they passed. What a deal for all the little kids. Except, of course, we have no little kids — pig out!
We were quite taken with the Phillips Phamily Phloat — phunny bunch!
Do those six a.m. mortars ALWAYS have to go off in our front yard? I must remember to speak to someone about that!
And last, but not least, thanks to Jesse Seibel for leaving the old North Church float and the Statue of Liberty. Thanks to daughter number one for repairing Lady Liberty and giving her a new coat of paint so that she could be in the parade. We miss friends from past celebrations.
But what a fine thing it is that in many ways they are still with us.
— SUSAN MARSHALL
