Queen of the Pancake Parade

Grampa's eyes light up as he sees his little girl, "Queen of the Pancake Parade."

Yes, Tanya is his little pet.  Trust him to adore the very girl who thinks up something as stupid as "The Pancake Parade."  She's sitting there at lunch one day, fiddling with her "brown-bread flapjacks" as Ms. Conell, the school cook, calls them.  Suddenly, her mint eyes light up.  They light up bright as the sun and everyone at her table notices, but she won't tell them why, not at all.  Just leads them on, tells them all about how many little kids are hungry every day and how their tummies hurt so... And then, when she has them all about to cry, she just gets up and walks away!

Well, after a whole lot of stats, quotes, and tears, she convinces the whole town that kids everywhere are depending on them.  For months she's working on this project to "better the world," and everyone's all hyped up...

And then comes the end of the world.  Well, maybe not, but that probably would be preferable.  The day of the parade shines bright all right, but some stupid rain cloud gets in the way and the paint for "The Queen's Float" won't dry properly; and no one notices.  Tanya gets on the edge of the float, her green eyes sparkling and her long blond hair flowing... and her white gown slowly spotting up with orange paint!

No one notices as she climbs into the "throne" - and slips!  Orange goo creeps through her fingers, seeps into her dress, and draws a road map in her hair.  The float fills with light as it is pulled outside into the cheering crowd.  Tanya looks up, shocked, and blushes like a pink rose, then like a red rose.  Kids all over the country laugh at their TV screens.  The crowd whoops itself hoarse.

Grampa's eyes light up and laughs, holding his belly like it'll burst if he doesn't.

"Oh well," he sighs contentedly, wiping a merry eye.  "At least her heart's in the right place."  Ya, right!