17 March 2003 - 8:32 a.m.

We all know today is St. Patrick's Day. We also all know that Boston likes to make up holidays (e.g. Patriot's Day). Quick digression about Patriot's Day ... The running of the Boston Marathon is on Patriot's Day. So, logically the streets of Boston are shut down. Most schools and colleges have the day off ... so, how do we all celebrate? Everyone in the city starts drinking early in the morning. By the time the first marathoners are within a mile of the finish line, the general public is completely drunk. It is possibly the funniest holiday in the history of the Earth. Except for the one I'm going to talk about now ...

So, St. Patrick's Day and made up holidays ... On 17 March another Tremendously Important Holiday is celebrated in Boston: Evacuation Day. This day celebrates the day the British were evacuated from Boston. And it actually happened on 26 March ... conviently, however, it is celebrated on the same day as St. Patrick's Day in an area that is SO highly Irish I've already gotten 15 dirty looks for not draping myself completely in green with shamrocks all over myself ...

I love this city.

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