Heads are hurting on the Monday after Dorchester Day. It's not from overindulgence, can anyone imbibe too much Dot magic? It's from the concussive booms and brass that accompanied yesterday's Dorchester Day Parade, a miles-long extravaganza that tried the tympani of eardrums more used to the sounds of the wind's whisper off the harbor.
The parade was led by a phalanx of emergency vehicles with their sirens blaring, announcing the main feature. The main feature was made up of marching bands, stereo speakers on flat beds, dancers, revellers and police motorcycle escorts. The BPD drives Harleys, which aren't the quietest bikes on the road. Perhaps they should enlist a Vespa patrol to sneak up on the perps.
The crowd lining Dot Ave was enthusiastic and vocal. They cheered when appropriate and cheered for no other reason than unabashed Dot Pride at the drop of a hat. Normal conversation measures 60 decibels. The sidewalks along Dot Ave regularly exceeded three hundred, such was the verve of the crowd. The seismograph atop the Hancock Tower registered 1.2 on the Richter Scale yesterday afternoon at 2:21 PM. Scientists attribute it to Dorchester Day.
If the collective pride of Dorchester can vibrate the foundations of one of Boston's most well engineered landmarks on a whim, think of what it could do if this energy were harnessed. You wouldn't be living in Longfellow's Boston anymore. Bars would be open around the clock, and the T would keep the same hours. Hammers would be hitting nails every hour of everyday as everyone worked hard to earn a paycheck building this city better.
After so much excitement, you would think Dorchester would be sleeping off its bender the following day, but no. Dorchesterites reported this morning with their usual gusto. They know a city doesn't just run on pride. It takes hard work and stamina.
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