How much do you like fireworks?

[Glinda]

As a pet owner and pet sitter, I dread the 4th of July and New Years Eve celebrations.

This year, I had a kitty-sitting job in a nearby town. When I turned onto the client's street, I was confronted with a freakin' war zone of drunken parents swilling beer as their 10-year-olds set and lit big firecrackers/mortars in the middle of the street.

As I carefully wove my way around and through the pyrotechnics set up in the middle of the road, I heard "Get out of here, asshole!" and "You don't live in this neighborhood, bitch!"

First time I was ever afraid for my own safety while doing a pet-sitting job. Hell, this was first time I was ever afraid for my own safety at all here in WA state. I called the cops, and one arrived within 10 minutes offering to escort me out of the little housing development to safety. "There's nothing I can do to stop them," the cop told me. "It's the 4th of July."

Yeah, fuck that.

[xoxoxoBruce]

When I was young the 4th was my favorite holiday, big bonfire with family friends and neighbors across the street at Grandparents. After MA outlawed them we were only a mile from CT. Then CT outlawed them but someone in the crowd would be going to FL during the winter and would stop at Pedro's South of the Border in SC and stock up. At least once during the evening the State Police would cruise by slowly but they knew my father had a badge.

Here the guy across the street up on the hill was Italian, wife from the old country spoke very little English. He owned a chain of pizza shops in malls, Scottos I think it was. From midnight on the 3rd to midnight on the 4th it was constant fireworks, never more than 5 minutes between booms. Guests would come and go the whole time. The next day, the 5th, without fail for 11 years he would pour concrete. Section of driveway, pool, patio, Virgin Mary Shrine, something every July 5th.

I thought it wise not to inquire.