The Big Parade
was created especially
for
Michael Jeremy Smith
at the age of
8
With love from
Mom and Dad
November 9, 2001
Page 3
Mike Smith sat up wide awake in his
bed. The sun was just
coming up in
Fort Wayne. He could tell that it was
going to be a gorgeous
day. He
glanced out his bedroom
window. Mike
remembered exactly
where he was
planning to go today
with Larry, Wayne and Bob.
Page 4
Mike had been so excited for the past
week. With
Larry, Wayne and Bob, he
had made a game of
finding the most
circus posters all over
town. Today
was the big parade and
that meant the
start of all the circus
activities.
Mike had even tried to go to sleep as
fast as he could last
night to make the
morning come more
quickly.
Page 7
Mike began to think about all the
fantastic fun he would
have. Last
year, his favorite act
was the clown
with the invisible dog.
Mike wondered
if the clown would be
there again
today. Then
Mike thought about the
child who would be
selected by the
mayor this year to lead
the parade.
Who would that lucky
person be?
Page 8
Just then the phone
rang. "Mike Smith,
will you lead the big
parade for us
this year?" asked the
mayor of Fort
Wayne. "Oh, yes, yes!" exclaimed Mike.
"Will I get to ride in
the fire truck?"
The mayor chuckled,
"You most certainly will, Mike!"
Page 11
Larry, Wayne and Bob waited with Mike
while a huge helicopter
landed in his
back yard. It was there
to pick up
Mike. The helicopter took off minutes
later with Mike in the
front seat
grinning from ear to
ear. After waving
goodbye,
Larry, Wayne and Bob hurried
downtown to see the
parade.
Page 12
From the helicopter,
Mike could see the
circus parade beginning
to assemble at
the edge of town. The
helicopter
landed and
Mike ran to the mayor. On
their way to the shiny,
red fire truck
at the head of the
parade, they walked
past all the practicing
performers and
anxious animals that
would be following
Mike. Mike was thrilled.
Page 15
Someone shouted, "Look,
Mike Smith is
leading the parade this
year!" At that
very moment, a big drum
roll was heard.
Mike carefully climbed aboard the fire
truck next to the
driver who was
dressed like a clown.
Mike enjoyed the
marvelous, marching
music played by the
band as the fire truck
drove down the
main street of
Fort Wayne.
Page 16
Immediately behind the
band was a
beautiful bareback
rider. Her two
magnificent, prancing
horses were so
well trained that the
rider could
balance on both their
backs while
standing up.
Mike imagined that the
fine, fancy feathers on
the noble
horses' heads were
bobbing to the beat
of the music. He bobbed
his head also.
Page 19
The fire truck turned a
corner. Mike
saw three small
children mimicking the
dancing bear who was
dressed in a pink
ballerina costume. The
big, brown bear
was very entertaining
as she proudly
performed bouncy ballet
steps while
balancing on a ball.
Page 20
The circus elephants
followed next. As
he watched the playful
pranks of the
darling baby elephant,
Mike daydreamed
about taking him home.
When the
elephant fanned his big
floppy ears,
Mike could almost picture him flying
through the sky with
the greatest of
ease. If the baby
strayed too far, the
mother elephant would
lovingly wrap her
trunk around his.
Page 23
A jolly juggler on a
unicycle juggling
five full bottles
fascinated Larry,
Wayne and Bob. He pedaled so fast that
there were times when
it was hard to
keep up with him. It
was incredible
that he never dropped a
bottle, no
matter how fast he
pedaled. Larry,
Wayne and Bob knew it took practice to
be that good.
Page 24
Mike was amused by the antics of the
slippery seal. The seal
would flip
the ball backwards and
then, with his
hind flippers, smack it
right back to
the tip of his nose.
Everyone loved
watching the seal clap
after each
trick he performed.
Larry, Wayne and
Bob had fun imitating his funny,
barking noises.
Page 27
The acrobatic troupe
was next. Their
tumbling and flipping
routines had the
crowd cheering.
Mike was enjoying his
place of honor, but was
really tickled
when the driver told
him he would have
a chance to watch the
entire parade
pass before him as each
act entered
the big top circus
tent.
Page 28
A majestic lion with
all his marvelous
mane was in the last
wagon. He was
so-o-o-o big, and his
roar was so-o-o
loud that
Mike could hear him from the
very front of the
parade. The
mild-mannered monkeys
on top of his
cage did not seem at
all frightened of
the ferocious feline.
Page 31
The fire truck stopped
at the entrance
of the big top circus
tent. Mike
talked to the circus
stars as they
went inside. It made
him feel like an
important star to be so
close to them.
Then
Mike joined
Larry, Wayne and Bob
in his special section
inside the tent.
Page 32
