Onward Christian Soldiers

This is post 16 of Section V. To begin at the beginning, go here. Section II begins here. Section III begins here. Section IV begins here, and Section V begins here

All too soon, Bennett felt, they found themselves among spectators. He was glad Lizzy could not read the placards they carried: “God Hates Queers”; “AIDS: Scurge [sic.] of Evil”; assorted biblical verses; and the tried and true “Repent! The End is at Hand.”
They continued their descent, making a few turns and heading for City Center, the renovated downtown area. Bennett had not been able to locate Gwen’s map of the parade route, but every parade passed through here sooner or later. The crowd became denser. A group of nuns in blue habits walked by, nodding affably. They were complaining about the weather and fanning each other with their large cardboard signs. On the steps of the Endersburg Museum of Industry a heavy-set man whose T-shirt proclaimed him a bowler for Jesus exhorted his celestial patron in the flat, heavy accents of the Plains states, while his sober audience, doubtless fellow bowlers and their spouses, silently bowed their heads.
A pleasant, bearded fellow fell in with them and winked at Lizzy. “Zat yer grampa?” he asked indicating Bennett with his head.
“Yes,” she said boldly, flattered by the attention. She looked around the man, hoping he was accompanied by a TV crew.
“And who’s this?” he asked, jerking a thumb in Stephen’s direction.
“That’s Steve.”
“Zat yer brother?”
“No. He’s Grampa’s friend.” Stephen smiled tentatively, and Bennett patted him on the shoulder in a fatherly way.

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