Peabody magic
To the Editor:
A cowboy theme? Shucks folks! To be downright honest my gut reaction to a "Western Wonderland" in Peabody put me square in the skeptic's camp. With all due respect, Peabody just didn't fit my preconceived notion of "cowboy country." So I hadn't a clue what to expect Saturday. Golly, I got a shock!
Peabody can do "cowboy" right well. Better even than a certain western theme park not too far away. With a lariat I could have roped in a handful of authentic-looking characters right from the old west. To my eye we had every type, from a Laura Ingalls Wilder story to Billy the Kid and Hopalong Cassidy. Gunfighters included.
A true frontier spirit turned up as the temperature got down to 29 degrees with a blowing wind. Still undaunted a surprising number of hardy kids, women, and men assembled an hour before the parade and toughed it out. I gotta tip my hat to all the float makers and participants; it was a fine showing.
I also was impressed by the Peabody High School marching band. Going down Main Street in this weather with lips and fingers on bare metal requires a character of steely resolve.
All in all, this was a fine first for me. My hat is off to all the workers and organizers who rustled this up. Jeff Pohlman and Kristen Hooper showed gutsy courage. These two (and many others) got behind one vision in July. Seeing the target is one thing, hitting it is something else.
Well I've no more skepticism. There are real sharpshooters in this town, and many good folk who make Peabody an inviting place. Like the cowboy of the old west this is hard to find nowadays. So I count myself lucky to be here. This town knows how to have a swinging good time. Which is the magic of Peabody.
Joshua Marshall
Peabody
