The Rose Parade

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Even though I live in southern California, my family went to see the Tournament of Roses Parade only once. Battling traffic and hunting for the ever elusive parking space made it more worth our time to watch it on television.
One year, back when I was quite young, my older sister and I viewed the parade, in glorious black and white, with all its brass bands and spectacular floats. I imagined myself as the Rose Queen, waving to hordes of cheering spectators.
At the end of the parade, Sis came up with a brilliant idea. We would build a float!We got the wagon out of the garage. Now all we needed were some rose petals.And there, lining the chain-link fence along the driveway, were my mother’s prize roses. 

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