Fireworks in the Hood

By Chris

Let me first say that, on any given night - especially approaching a holiday, it really is not that unusual to hear a few firecrackers and whistlers in our neigborhood. You can't buy fireworks in our state, but I guess we're close enough to N.C. for people to easily secure them. On the actual firework-friendly holidays (New Year and July 4th), there is a literal explosion of activity. It's part of the unique and special charm of Norfolk Highlands, really. There are the typical sparklers and bottle rockets by the hundreds. And much more. I'm talking mid-air exploding, huge, usually-reserved-for-paid-shows devices. The kind that make a big "umph" and set the area aglow when they are ignited on the ground. Sounds like Baghdad when the competing amateur pyro-freaks get going! No need to trudge down to one of the public shows. Last night the boys were running back and forth -- back yard to front yard -- depending on which direction the most attractive explosions seemed to be coming from. "Hurry Ben, that sounds like some really big ones are going off out front." "Stay on the porch," Teresa yells out (I mean, one of those big ones misfired could take out someone . . . permanently). "Dad, there was this HUUUUGEEEEE one that was red, whith and blue and was almost shaped like an American flag," Ben reported. Teresa grew up in this hood. I've been there more than a decade, and am used to it now. But, it was a little unnerving when you first experienced it. There have been a bunch of new houses built in the last year, and I'm sure there were a few freaked out newbies last night, calling the police, who never really do anything. I mean, what could they do, arrest half of a whole neighborhood.

I saw one of the big firworks on the Disvovery Channel (or something similar), and they do look like big 'ol bombs. The were showing it as they told the medical story of this dude who was lighting them and throwing them from his car. Big problem. Especially when he missed and the lit bomb landed by his feet and exploded! He burned himself bad, and actually melted his shoes to his feet. Yuck.

For us, the rockets' red glare and the bombs bursting in air are not hard to imagine!