Category: default || By jt3y

While looking for an address near Duquesne Village two Saturdays ago, I found myself on Pennsylvania Avenue. Near the curve at the Knights of Columbus Hall, a fire department car with its lights flashing was blocking one lane of the road. I figured there was an accident up ahead.

It helps at this point to recall that I was driving the sleek, gray Mercury, which also has two ham radio antennas (antennae?) on the trunk.

The line officer manning the roadblock saw me stop and waved me past the roadblock, and I tooted my horn and drove around the curve ...

... and almost head-on into a West Mifflin police car, behind which was the West Mifflin Area High School marching band and a couple of dozen fire trucks. On both sides of the road sat people in lawn chairs, waving American flags.

I had inadvertantly found the Duquesne Village volunteer fire department parade, and it instantly hit me that the guy at the roadblock saw the antennae (antennaes? aerials?) on the trunk of the Mercury and assumed I was another fireman on my way to help out.

So I threw on the brakes, pushed the gearshift up into "reverse," and backed as fast as I could up Pennsylvania Avenue and past the roadblock, then cut the wheel around, executing a nice 180-degree spin that, in my humble opinion, would have made Jim Rockford proud. In the back mirror, I could see the firefighter's mouth hanging open a little bit, and then he started to laugh; he realized what he'd done, too.

I didn't start to laugh until I got to Dravosburg and concluded that the West Mifflin police weren't following me to give me a ticket. For what, I don't know. Disrupting a parade? Aggravated stupidity?

Anyway, that's today's Almanac, cut short because I spent Thursday nigh designing a new feature and adding what I hope will be the start of entire new section to Tube City Online devoted to driving in the Mon-Yough area. I call it "Blacktop Jungle," which was the name of a column I used to write for the Observer-Reporter.

I've decided to start tracking gasoline prices as I drive along and posting them to the new Mon-Yough Gas Gauge, but I'm going to need your help. Visit the Gas Gauge for details and for my first spotchecks, made on my way home from work last night in the West Mifflin area ...

... where I almost ran into another doggone parade, this time on Greensprings Avenue. What is it with those people?

...

To Do This Weekend: Rankin Borough hosts "Jazz in the Park" from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday at the parklet on Rankin Boulevard near Hawkins Avenue ... If you've digested your food from International Village, the Greek Food Festival continues afternoons and evenings through Sunday at Olympia Hall on Electric Avenue near East Pittsburgh. It's sponsored by Presentation of Christ Greek Orthodox Church and also features music, dancing and a jewelry sale. Call (412) 824-9188. ... Or, head back to Renzie Park tomorrow and Sunday for the fourth-annual barbecue and rib cookoff at Stephen Barry Field from 2 to 11 p.m. There will also be crafts and games, live music and fireworks Sunday night. Call (412) 675-5068 ... And if you rappa-rappa-rap, and they call you The Rapper, stick around, because The Jaggerz are playing Renzie at 7 p.m. Sunday.