“Hey-hey-ay.” It’s the sound of a true entertainer that you hear when Tony the Peanut Man starts singing his song to the crowds lining the streets during the annual Christmas parade. His little ditty does the job — getting lots of families to buy his hot boiled peanuts, a welcome distraction to the interminable Christmas parade. Each year, we trudge to Calhoun Street and stake out a piece of asphalt. And each year, we wait for something more exciting to happen besides queenly waves from the Girl Scout troops and the local television news crews. Where are the Shriners in their fezes and silly little cars? Every once in a while, you’ll see something cool — like the black horse riders or Dean Stevens from ABC News 4 in a go-cart, but generally it’s a parade of church groups and dance troupes playing loud Christmas carols. They don’t even throw candy. That’s why a bag of peanuts from Tony is a necessity. It’ll entertain you, even if the parade can’t. www.tonypeanutman.com
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