Independence Day has always been my favorite holiday and it shows up each year just in time to kick off the best month on the calendar with a genuine bang! Ah, July, so much to do and only 31 long, sun-drenched days to do it. I’ve always done my best to make July 4th itself into a sampler’s platter of everything awesome one can do in July. Bike rides, barbecues, barefooting the backyard, (and probably even more things that begin with the letter b), swimming, fishing, campfires … the list goes on and on.
Most of my own holiday traditions involve no one other than my immediate family, so our celebration wasn’t too dramatically upended by the pandemic, save for one glaring exception: our town’s legendarily magnificent fireworks display. The event is planned, paid for and launched each year by our local volunteer firefighters — many of whom have been specially trained and licensed to put on the show. Obviously, we were not the only ones feeling the loss as evidenced by the dozens of local "self-taught" pyrotechnicians who took the situation into their own hands — and hopefully made it through the holiday with all of their fingers!
Beginning three or four evenings before the 4th, and operating on a 24-hour a day schedule, a loose band of neighborhood thrill-seekers spent their days, nights and hard-earned money igniting Roman candles and bottle rockets with the live ends of their cigarettes while shouting, "Hey y’all watch this!"
It was indeed a noble endeavor by a brave few, but with Independence Day behind us it’s time to acknowledge their efforts and move on. Gentlemen, the world thanks you for keeping the dream alive. Dismissed. Really. It’s over. Snuff out that ciggy and get on about your lives!
I have faith the firefighters will be back with the real thing a year from now and we can all pile into the park like masked (or vaccinated) sardines, tilt our faces to the sky and catch one of the true highlights of summer.
Whether or not the "normal" world returns next year I will guarantee you one thing I will not be doing in July ever again — my taxes. I’m an admitted tax procrastinator, and when the COVID19 craziness precipitated a change in the deadline from April to July I danced the little jig of slackers everywhere. Now, in the very best time of year to be doing anything else, I’m stuck inside sifting through file folders of random receipts, trying to remember where I put that stack of 1099’s, and seriously considering jamming a pencil through my ear. Never again!
To all those wiser and more punctual than me, get out there and have yourselves a great July!
(I’d love to hear your questions or comments! Write to John Lorson Send Help, P.O. Box 170, Fredericksburg, OH 44627. Be sure to check out Facebook for time-lapse film clips of Kristin’s artwork and other fun stuff at JohnLorsonSendHelp)
The Link LonkJuly 12, 2020 at 05:17PM
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Send Help: Favorite holiday a bit taxing this year - Akron Beacon Journal
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