And many happy returns of the day…
Thursday, November 6th, 2008Today was a day out of the ordinary. It was not my typical day at the office. This morning Del-Dot trucks and police cars were abundant in town and a casual traveler passing through would note that several Georgetown streets were blocked off. Yes the streets were blocked off, children were off from school for the day, and yesterday’s mud-slinging political adversaries rode in horse-drawn carriages together for a festive, 200+ year-old, traditional, biennial parade. Only in Sussex County, Delaware will you find such a spectacle and rare day known as Return Day.
During the early morning hours it rained on and off with heavy downpours from time to time. Although it was quite a misty morning it rarely did more than just spit rain during the parade. Inclind employees, friends, family and even clients celebrated pre-parade in the morning with a fantastic corn hole toss tournament which Trey can tell you more about. The rain made for a more challenging and slick game as our projectiles frequently skidded off the board robbing each team of much needed points. Also, the trees in the front yard altered the course of several high flyers.
After spectating for a few games of corn hole, I decided to take a walk from our Market Street office in the 200 block towards the Georgetown Circle with my family. The closer we drew to the circle the thicker the crowds were until we found our selves inside of a barricade. Not just any barricade either; it was not a flimsy police line but a interlocked barrier of metal bars like those you might see in New York City at New Years on TV. What a change from the Return Days’ of my childhood! Not only were we behind a crowded barricade but we found our selves waiting in a line like we were entering an international airport. The crowd funneled into a small white tent which housed a metal detector that everyone, I mean everyone, had to go through to get the contents of their pockets examined and wanded before stepping foot into the Georgetown Circle.
On the circle it was crowded but not as jam-packed as I remember it years before where the judges stand and the food vendors were a bit closer together. I stopped a random guy and asked him where he got his slice of pizza to which he replied “Through that metal detector and on down the street”. I deduced the homemade dishes being served up at our office would be warmer, easier, and cheaper to access than the food I would have to pay and hassle for through the tight security. On the walk back to the office, a nice guy from the Seaford Fire Department informed me that although it was just a few minutes shy of 1:30 the parade had a 45 minute delay. I could only guess that this ment maybe “Joe the Biden” was late.
Then I managed to read an official program and learn Chuck Snyder along with my Uncle Leonard were the official photographers and also that the stage plus sound system were provided by our friend Kevin Short at Mid-South Audio. After a few cookies and a hot dog, I was completely ready for the parade and it turned out to be quite worth it by watching from a front row seat on the end of the office’s driveway.
The last time I attended Return Day, I was a high school sophomore, enjoying the day off from school. I missed the celebration 4 years ago while I was at the university since This is mostly due to the fact that this is uniquely a Sussex County tradition so you’re not given the day off at the university for the occasion and also it is not celebrated by Marylanders or their schools or employers (no day off for you). Although I went home today after the conclusion of the parade (with no Santa Clause at the end) and missed the OX sandwiches, I had a great out-of-the-ordinary day at the office.




