On Saturday, November 1, 2014, in Waco, Texas in the cool morning air, crowds will flock to Austin Avenue. Sprinklings of families will begin curb-sitting at the corner of Austin Avenue and 17th Street. Small children dressed in Baylor green and gold will be craning their freshly-scrubbed necks to see if the time is drawing nigh. The crowd will wax and wane up Austin Ave until the turn at 4th Street. Rounding the corner onto 4th Street the river of humanity will thicken and thin like the Brazos River. At the corner of 4th Street and I-35, the pitch of the crowd will begin to heighten just before the route hooks a Louey onto 5th Street for the triumphal entry onto the Baylor campus where the sidewalks will be jam-packed 5-deep with devotees clad in all sort of green and gold fashions. The curb spots in front of the Student Union Building and the Hankamer Business School will have been claimed since 8AM. This is serious business in Bear Country. It is the Homecoming Parade.
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| (from Wikipedia) |
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| I know. I know. I'm wearing Texas Tech colors. But, it was such a cute outfit. I will choose cute over team spirit every time. |
Strolling along 5th Street on the sidewalk behind the wall of parade watchers, you will always see proud young parents debuting their young. This a time-honored tradition. A sort of Lion King moment amongst humans. "I. HAVE. BROUGHT. FORTH. OFFSPRING. AND. THEY. WEAR. THE. GREEN. AND. GOLD."
Alan and I have returned to Waco for many, many Baylor Homecomings over the years. The Dallas days were easy. When we moved to Lubbock the long drive to Central Texas coupled with the fact that our boys played YFL football meant that our pilgrimages to 5th Street became fewer and farther between.
We will not be curb-sitting along the parade route this year. I CAN'T EVEN BEGIN TO TELL YOU HOW MUCH I REGRET MISSING THIS PARTICULAR HOMECOMING. I'm going to miss one of the most important parade entries ever. I'm going to miss cheering for the
Golden Greens.
If you don't watch carefully, you may miss this auspicious parade entry. Most people will give a polite glance in the general direction of the couple waving from the back seat of the convertible and perhaps smile absently before looking down the block to see which float is coming next. To the untrained eye, this little couple will be about as interesting as a Fire Marshall riding down the parade route in the back of a pickup. No offense to Fire Marshalls, but the little couple in the back of the convertible are accomplished promise-keepers. They commit. They follow through. They are loyal to the bone.
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| Bettye and Harold Green (from Baylor Proud) |
Dear Friend, I beg you to stand up out of respect and take notice when the Golden Greens float past your curb campsite. For before you will pass a couple that represents the very best of Baylor and all that is good and great about West Texas.
This precious and outstanding couple has attended EVERY SINGLE Baylor Homecoming since they graduated in the 40's.
I kid you not. Every year.
They have attended 68
CONSECUTIVE Baylor Homecomings.
Come rain or snow or sleet or hail, the Greens have driven from Tahoka, Texas, to Waco for Homecoming (and most all of the games because they are season ticket holders). Through raising children and being active in the community, they have driven to Waco for Homecoming. Even more intriguing is that they have been happily married for 68 years. They come from solid West Texas, Greatest Generation stock. The best of the best.
So, on Saturday, November 1st, if you attend the Homecoming Parade, would you do me a kindness? Please pay deep respect, stand, and cheer for the...
Golden Greens.
And, please, oh please, take a picture of them for me!
I will proudly post the picture you send me (celackey@suddenlink.net) on Finding the Funny!
Here's a shout-out to my dear friend, Bettye Green: Love you, Bettye! Practice your Beauty Queen wave! Throw candy to the curb sitters!!!
You can read more about Bettye and Harold in this fine article:
Baylor Proud article
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