Went to watch, ended up taking part
A friend that me and dad often meet for coffee is a regular churchgoer. Last week she handed us a leaflet about a Cultural Carnival organised by her church happening today. The leaflet said there would be a parade at 9.30 this morning starting at the end of the road the church entrance is in.
so we got there with minutes to spare expecting to see participants liniing up ready to start marching, but instead there was a group of about 20 people standing around chatting. One lady asked, "are you here for the parade? we are still waiting for the band to turn up".
Then the band turned up, a 3 piece Afro-Caribbean ensemble of trumpet, drum and something else (I forget) At the same time three members of the clergy arrived including the vicar and the Bishop of Rochester.
The Vicar said which way the parade would go so as to go past most houses and annoy most people. They asked the band to lead the way, and obvioiusly had told them what hymn to play. And the parade started.
Thought it would be more embarrasing for just me and dad to say, we're not taking part just watching, when there was nobody else watching. So we decided to tag along near the back.
The band played and the clergy bringing up the rear right behind us lead the singing of "We're marching in the name of God, marching in the name of God". Halfway along the road, one of the women came to the back to tell them, the band had changed its tune to When the Saints go Marching in.
We left the parade when it got to the church and made our way to the High Street.
so we got there with minutes to spare expecting to see participants liniing up ready to start marching, but instead there was a group of about 20 people standing around chatting. One lady asked, "are you here for the parade? we are still waiting for the band to turn up".
Then the band turned up, a 3 piece Afro-Caribbean ensemble of trumpet, drum and something else (I forget) At the same time three members of the clergy arrived including the vicar and the Bishop of Rochester.
The Vicar said which way the parade would go so as to go past most houses and annoy most people. They asked the band to lead the way, and obvioiusly had told them what hymn to play. And the parade started.
Thought it would be more embarrasing for just me and dad to say, we're not taking part just watching, when there was nobody else watching. So we decided to tag along near the back.
The band played and the clergy bringing up the rear right behind us lead the singing of "We're marching in the name of God, marching in the name of God". Halfway along the road, one of the women came to the back to tell them, the band had changed its tune to When the Saints go Marching in.
We left the parade when it got to the church and made our way to the High Street.
