I Have Resigned from the 4th of July

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1951

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th and we kept a bucket of water for the spent sparklers so no one would get burned by stepping on a hot one. We supplied an ice cold watermelon and I usually made a sheet cake decorated with a flag along with a cooler full of non-alcoholic drinks. We set up two long buffet tables in our double car garage to hold all the dishes and fireworks people brought. We used to have 25 people or more each year.</blockquote>We hosted them because we were the only county that allowed anything besides sparklers and firecrackers which is Kid stuff in most people’s minds. So for decades our town became party central to thousands of people who live in Wichita and other counties who got invites to come here. This included relatives, co-workers, and friends who had a desire to blow off fireworks.Our city was such a spectacle that small planes flew overhead each year to get an aerial view of the nightworks. We were often featured on the 10:00 news. A lot of our neighbors confessed to spending upwards of $500 on fireworks every year, each one hoping to out shine and out pop their neighbors.If you’ve ever been in a war zone, or even seen one on tv or in a movie, then you can imagine what it’s like. It’s totally deafening and I’m not exaggerating.<h2 id="f4e0">Until this year, that is…</h2>This year the city of Wichita (population 539K) decided that all fireworks will be legally sold and can be shot off inside the city limits — Say what?! It’s something they are trying out for the first time ever and depending on how it goes they will consider making it permanent.Hallelujah!!I’m praying it works because if it does it will mean fewer people will find it necessary to come here and literally trash our town while they ruin our hearing. And we will not be losing any money because we still have the biggest and

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best firework stands around where each vendor has to pay a hefty $50K every year for a permit to set up here.I see it as a win-win!So tonight Mr. Pam will go to our daughter’s house to join our kids in blowing up their own neighborhood, for a change. Like I said, my husband and our daughter are pyros when it comes to fireworks so he’s choosing to join them while I finally get to relax in my recliner and watch a movie. . . This is another win-win! I get to stay cool inside. My hearing will not be assaulted. I won’t get a stomach ache from eating junk food, and I won’t come home smelling like sulphur.The only other time I was this happy to resign was when I left my job. And no I won’t miss seeing the kids because I wouldn’t get to interact much with them tonight anyway. I’d be in a lawn chair while they’re out in the street lighting off boomers — I can live without it.I do feel sorry for those who have PTSD because this is definitely not their holiday. For years we warned people not to live here if they can’t handle the sounds of being in a war zone for a week out of the year. Many thanked us and moved elsewhere despite our coveted school system.SO how do you celebrate Independence Day? Do you light off fireworks, or maybe you go to a fireworks display put on by your city. Wichita stopped doing those years ago which is probably one reason they’re allowing more fireworks now. No matter how you celebrate, Happy 4th of July! I hope you stay safe and sane.If you like my writing and would like to read more from me and other writers on Medium, <a href="https://purpleduckydesi.medium.com/membership">click here to upgrade to a Medium membership</a> for unlimited access. Please note, this is an affiliate link and I will receive a small portion of your membership fees.</article></body>

After 40 years of being a good sport on this day, I finally get to close this chapter and put it in a memory.

In our small town here in KS all fireworks are legally for sale from June 26th through July 5th. The many stands that sell them start setting up on June 15th. By 9 o’clock tonight they will mark their merchandise down 50% which will cause a flood of people to descend on them. It’s been like this since we moved here 43 years ago.

There will be no quiet to be found anywhere before 12 pm tonight which is the city’s firework deadline. Thank goodness the cops will be out paroling neighborhoods to make sure people shut it down.

However, even tomorrow we’ll hear sporadic pops and booms in our neighborhood during the daylight hours. No doubt too many teens without jobs this summer.

I call my husband and our daughter pyros, and I’m not included. This has never been a favorite holiday for me. However, in the past I went along with it despite our usual 100 degree heat.

I wore t-shirts depicting the flag and donned dangling red, white and blue earrings. I invited friends who live outside of town to come here to blow off fireworks with their kids… Bring yourselves, your kids, and bring a dish was my motto. And for years it was fun… We’d sit on lawn chairs in our garage and watch our husbands and the kids take turns lighting off everything that had a wick. Everyone had a punk to light them with and we kept a bucket of water for the spent sparklers so no one would get burned by stepping on a hot one. We supplied an ice cold watermelon and I usually made a sheet cake decorated with a flag along with a cooler full of non-alcoholic drinks. We set up two long buffet tables in our double car garage to hold all the dishes and fireworks people brought. We used to have 25 people or more each year.

We hosted them because we were the only county that allowed anything besides sparklers and firecrackers which is Kid stuff in most people’s minds. So for decades our town became party central to thousands of people who live in Wichita and other counties who got invites to come here. This included relatives, co-workers, and friends who had a desire to blow off fireworks.

Our city was such a spectacle that small planes flew overhead each year to get an aerial view of the nightworks. We were often featured on the 10:00 news. A lot of our neighbors confessed to spending upwards of $500 on fireworks every year, each one hoping to out shine and out pop their neighbors.

If you’ve ever been in a war zone, or even seen one on tv or in a movie, then you can imagine what it’s like. It’s totally deafening and I’m not exaggerating.

Until this year, that is…

This year the city of Wichita (population 539K) decided that all fireworks will be legally sold and can be shot off inside the city limits — Say what?! It’s something they are trying out for the first time ever and depending on how it goes they will consider making it permanent.

Hallelujah!!

I’m praying it works because if it does it will mean fewer people will find it necessary to come here and literally trash our town while they ruin our hearing. And we will not be losing any money because we still have the biggest and best firework stands around where each vendor has to pay a hefty $50K every year for a permit to set up here.

I see it as a win-win!

So tonight Mr. Pam will go to our daughter’s house to join our kids in blowing up their own neighborhood, for a change. Like I said, my husband and our daughter are pyros when it comes to fireworks so he’s choosing to join them while I finally get to relax in my recliner and watch a movie. . . This is another win-win! I get to stay cool inside. My hearing will not be assaulted. I won’t get a stomach ache from eating junk food, and I won’t come home smelling like sulphur.

The only other time I was this happy to resign was when I left my job. And no I won’t miss seeing the kids because I wouldn’t get to interact much with them tonight anyway. I’d be in a lawn chair while they’re out in the street lighting off boomers — I can live without it.

I do feel sorry for those who have PTSD because this is definitely not their holiday. For years we warned people not to live here if they can’t handle the sounds of being in a war zone for a week out of the year. Many thanked us and moved elsewhere despite our coveted school system.

SO how do you celebrate Independence Day? Do you light off fireworks, or maybe you go to a fireworks display put on by your city. Wichita stopped doing those years ago which is probably one reason they’re allowing more fireworks now. No matter how you celebrate, Happy 4th of July! I hope you stay safe and sane.

If you like my writing and would like to read more from me and other writers on Medium, click here to upgrade to a Medium membership for unlimited access. Please note, this is an affiliate link and I will receive a small portion of your membership fees.