Pioneer Picnic (118)

So, I had Chris drag us over to brownsville, where the pioneer picnic has been held annually for the last 118 years! I got the time for the parade wrong, so we cruised into town just as it ended. (Chris complained about the traffic) then we went to the park. sigh. When I was a kid the picnic was so cool! We looked forward to it every year. We rode rides, and played games. My sister was Jr queen one year. We would watch the brownsville fire department beat the pants off all-comers in tug of war over the river. My dad and grandpa would disappear into the beer garden, and my aunt would play softball. My mom and grandma would scour the flea market for deals on neat handmade stuff. My uncles would be off making as much mischief as us kids would. There were cousins everywhere. Great-grandparents, a great aunt with a pack of second cousins in tow.
There isn't any family left. The grandparents are both gone now. I still have plenty of uncles. One hasn't been seen in ages, ones in Pittsburgh and ones in the Philippines. There are still cousins aplenty, but I haven't seen them in so long, I'm not sure I would recognize them if I saw them. Toby, James, Jason, Lisa, Tyson, there's more who's names I have long forgotten. We even lost a cousin. Joshua. I had no friends there now. No family. The carnival is closed. There is no beer. And remember folks...
NO THROWING OF CANDIES OR GOODS FROM THE FLOATS, THIS IS BROWNSVILLE... JUST BECAUSE OUR MAYOR GROWS AND SELLS POT DOESN'T MEAN WE ARE OK WITH PUTTING SOMEONE'S EYE OUT IN A TRAGIC CANDY ACCIDENT.

I think its time to find a new family tradition for Indiana. I don't know what it will be, but its time!