Crowds...

Today is our town's annual street fair.
What started out as a way for local merchants to thank their patrons, has turned into a huge, crowded event. The main street is closed for blocks, with several side streets closed as well. Rides, entertainment at several different venues, games and hundreds of vendors selling everything from hot dogs to buffalo burgers to candles to brooms.
Sound like fun?
When I was a kid, it was. It was crowded, but nothing like now. We live close enough that we have to guard our parking - yes, even the parking we allow in our yard today (and pick up a ton of trash afterward). We're talking 10's of thousands of people. Armpit to armpit. In the sun. Most decidedly not my idea of a good time. Though most years, I end up going down at least once. That will not be the case this year. The predicted crowd is many more than even last year's record number. And I'm not going.
I'm much more content to hang in my backyard. We always have company and some of those people we only see on this day. Some years we go all out and host a backyard shindig, sometimes even with a band (it's good to be related to musicians), and party crashers. Other years, like this one, we take things easy. We will have company, and that's fine, but the expectation is for low numbers.
I have to hand it to our town though, this event is so well orchestrated. By this time tomorrow (actually, much earlier) you can't even tell something so huge happened. Everything is back to normal without even a speck of trash.
I'll let you know tomorrow if I was finagled into going down despite how adamant I am right now.
Behave.