Tales from the Trenches: Parade candy collection etiquette

My nieces came to stay with us as Leland made his grand entrance into the world. My aunt called on Saturday morning to say that the baseball parade was going to be going on just up the street at 11 AM. I got the girls dressed and up there before my actual stated time. (I was kind of proud of myself.) My legally blind and disabled aunt had parked her and her mobility scooter in a sweet spot in the drive to their senior citizens building. I parked at the back of the building and came around with a variety of umbrellas in hand, all the while having the girls in tow. My aunt had threatened the girls to not even think of stepping out into the street to collect candy. She had seen a child almost hit by the fire truck a few years previous and we discussed that my sending them back to their mother broken or stitched would not be acceptable. The parade started and the girls, armed with their collection bags, were ready! I was running in and out in the street zone to collect what had been tossed to the girls, in front of the girls. Then it happened, one of the senior housing residents started swooping in and collecting the candy that was tossed in front of the kids, for the kids, before I could get to it. Hmmm. I thought it was tacky. I'm thankful that none of the girls had said anything. As a child, I know that I would have been tempted to. To properly credit the lady, every so often, she would flip a wet tootsie roll into one of the children's bags but really, it was raining and she didn't want to use an umbrella. Why? Her collection abilities would be hindered. The next day, my aunt called to say that "Millie" was so sore that she could hardly walk.

So parade candy collection etiquette tip of the day? The zone directly in front of your entire party is your collection area, 'kay? That rule is especially true if we are talking about children ages 5-8 vs. someone probably 80+. I mean, there were ladies in wheel chairs holding cups and I ran along in front of them, scooped up candy and deposited in their cups. They weren't able to do it and they really wanted some.

Makes me wonder if she is the same kindly looking old lady who runs me over (while carrying the items in arm) with her full cart of food at the local food discounter so that she can be the next in line. Just a thought.