Several July 4ths ago I got this shot of my neighbor Gary. He’s a very patriotic guy and is a fixture in all the July 4^th parades here in Alameda. I always liked the shot because it evoked a certain sense of sadness. At the time Obama was still in office and I’m certain Gary (a diehard Republican) wasn’t feeling too excited with the direction of the country at the time. Yesterday, I too felt this despondency in the opposite direction and rediscovered this photograph in the dark recesses of one of my hard drives. I was always very happy with this shot and decided to share it.

Gary and I don’t agree upon much, but we do agree to disagree without being disagreeable. Besides, He’s full of great trivia including the fact that Alameda’s 4^th of July Parade is not only the largest 4^th of July parade but also the 3^rd largest parade in this country just behind Macy’s Thanksgiving and the Rose Parade in Pasadena.