Claire V. Bogdanos

EXCUSE ME, but you’re raining on my parade !  Oh, no it’s only Ronald McDonald sponsoring another sidewalk fest for the local neighborhood, frenzied and noisy.  Speaking of parades, we’ve missed one, New Year’s Day !  How do all those bands and marchers manage to be so sprightly and energetic the day after ?  I’d venture that the rest of the population including HOBOKEN can barely manage to lift their heads off the pillow much before warm-up time !  What is the secret ?  This year I couldn’t get the adrenalin to flow until about 3 PM, and I stayed at home New Years Eve, just the TV and me, listening to the serenade of breaking beer bottles and screeching tires from the streets below.  My morning after blues included one quick foray onto the sidewalk with black plastic bag clutched tightly in my very cold hand while the aging body repeatedly bobbed to scoop up the remains of the nights revelry.  Thank God and the local politicos for a swift and efficient Department of Sanitation.  They sure can cleansweep this town, toute suite !  When I was young, my mother told me that you could learn a lot about human nature by observing people’s trash cans.   Some were all dented and dirty, others clean and painted with pride, some had no cans at all using boxes and bags while others simply used those of their neighbors.  Now that’s a life lesson !  I honestly don’t know if that was what she truly meant however I never doubted her sagacity.  Excuse me, but I just ran out of Lysol !                            Sincerely,                         Claire B.