Last month I was all set to drive the Echo Press van in the homecoming parade, only for the parade to be rained out.

I was not entirely sad to see this happen. It wasn't because of any feelings I might have about homecoming or parades, or anything like that.

Rather, it was because of the way parents let their kids behave at parades — specifically, parades that are held in Alexandria.

I'm not sure why, but over the past few years parents have let their kids all but touch the vehicles in the Alex parades in their efforts to get the most candy. I've seen it happen. Anybody who has been to a parade in Alex has seen it happen.

The parades start as they should, with most of the viewers near the curb and the people who are actually in the parade walking down the center of the street.

Then, a

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