Fireworks - Part #4 of small town living

**homesteadmamma** · 09-13-2002, 07:54 PM

This was our experience on July 1 of this year in a small rural town not far from us.

Fireworks in a small town

We've lived in a city for many years and for those many years, we always went to fireworks, be it the long weekend in May, July 1st weekend or the turning on of the Christmas lights Dec. 1.

Here is our experience of going to a small town fireworks.

Dh worked yesterday and didn't get home until 6:25 p.m. Being the good wife I am, supper was all ready and the aroma not only filled the house but could be smelt outside has well. We had all the windows opened and we were enjoying the cool breeze after very hot and humid days. I had done chicken in the crockpot with lots of onion salt and some of Creole salt splattered on, making the smell heavenly. Dh was ready for a long, leisurely supper. NOT!!

Having gone to fireworks in the city and not having a place to park, I decided we needed to leave here early so we'd have a parking spot and get a good view. Hurrying dh along in his supper (poor man), I rushed the kids upstairs and into their "get ready mode and get ready NOW". You know the type, thats me. I want everything done yesterday, even if I made those plans today.

We left our home at 7:30 and got to the small town around 8:00. Filling our car with gas, we quickly went and found a parking spot. No one was there. I looked around and knew there were fireworks, I mean those guys were doing all the work setting them up. Still no one was there. I began to think maybe we were in the wrong spot, what was going on. I mean, gheez it wasn't going to be dark for another couple of hours, well 3 1/2 to be exact, but where was everyone.

We talked has a family, laughed and made jokes. The kids enjoying listening to the pheasants calling each other, squatting a few bugs and drinking their pop. Along with that was Turtle ice cream cones, picked up at the local ice cream parlor.

Nine o'clock rolls around and a few of the "older" people begin bringing out chairs (older than us ), beginning to chat with each other like they hadn't talked to each other in years. Laughter ran out has they told stories and visited. Pretty soon, there are little ones running around, with mom and dad hurrying behind. Its still only 9:45 p.m. but heh not many are there yet.

By 10:30 the crowd is coming, cars are pulling in and the noise is getting livelier. People are walking, talking, sitting in the long grass and just having fun.

Where we are were 2 benches. Our family has filled one and an older gentleman sits on the other bench. Staunch in his looks, with a Stetson hat, he bends over, pulls off a shoe and preceeds to let out a loud toot. My kids (myself and dh included) looked at each other and quietly laughed. On the side of us, sits a younger family with a young lad of about 10, on the stocky side who sits down on a folded chair. Yup, you guessed it the chair folded and he pinched his posterior. Not to be outdown and give in to the chair, he tries again only to have the chair once again win. Well poor dh, by this time he is laughing out loud, along with me, our kids and this poor chaps mom. It was so funny, still thinking on it brings tears to my eyes.

It is now getting close to 11:00 p.m. and every spectator is calling, its time. Its dark enough, whats holding them up. Comments like, they've lost their way, they can't find the fuse, they don't know where they put their matches to it isn't dark enough, its like this every year. You know the comments, I'm sure you've heard them many a time.

Finally, the expectation is too much, but heh, we see a fuse lit. Bam, almost nothing. Sitting beside us was a little old lady and she huffed and said "you mean thats all there is too it". People could hear her for blocks and laughter filled the night air. Poor lady I'm sure she was wondering what everyone was laughing about.

But heh, more fuses began going off. Quiet filled the night except for those pheasants who probably ran for covering. Did I tell you there is a bird sanctuary close by. Filling the night skies were the most spectacular fireworks I've ever been priviledged to see. On and on they went for 20 mins. Not much for some of you I'm sure, but this little town of 2,000 put on such a display of color, it was amazing.

We had a great night, filled with laughter, listening to chatting (eavesdropping for sure), watching our kids eyes light up and looking for a Pepsi bottle our son with Down Syndrome hid inside his t-shirt.

One thing we did learn though through all of this. No more rushing poor dh's supper after a long day of work, no more rushing to finding a parking spot, because there are plenty. But slowly taking our time, relaxing before we go and basically remembering that fireworks don't start until 11:05 on a DARK night.

Added on - we've experienced even more fireworks since that day, right here in our own small town and they too were as spectacular as any city could have done.