I Have My Reasons
July 4th is not my favorite holiday. I’m not sure I like it at all.
As a child, I figured out that the Summer was about half over on July 4th. In less than six weeks we would be going back to school. My mother tried to console us by telling us we would be in school with our friends. That logic might have worked for about a minute.
I was playing outside (did you get that, OUTSIDE) with my friends all summer. Riding our bikes to the pool, riding our bikes to the movies, to the park, to Grandma’s house. (Grandpa lived there also, I don’t know why it was just Grandma’s house. I think she let him stay there)
Somehow I drifted away from my reasons for not liking July 4th. I’m not crazy about it falling in the middle of the week, (when that happens). Obviously, the fireworks shows do not start until dark, making the show get over quite late. Then fight the crowd back to your cars and head for home; just to get up and go to work the next day. I know I could take the next day off, but construction projects are always behind schedule and everyday counts. I arrange a vacation around the holiday, except for we haven’t had a summer vacation in 22 years. Remember, summer is a great time for a construction project.
OOPS, drifted again! July 4th has not always been good to me. It was July 4th when I asked my mother if I could get my youngest brother out of his crib. I was seven years old, my brother was two. Mom didn’t think it was such a great idea, but Dad didn’t want to get my brother out, so he said “Aw, what the heck”.
I almost pulled it off. Well, I got him out of the crib without incident. It would have been fine if I had not tried to carry him to the kitchen. You see, my brother had a large blue stuffed poodle he liked to sleep with. He pulled the blue poodle out of the crib with him as I lifted him out. On the way to the kitchen he dropped the blue poodle in my path. I tripped over the blue poodle sending my brother flying. He landed hard and started crying. My parents were really concerned about him, being the baby of the family. Oh, he was all right, Me? I hit my head on the dresser. After a trip to the hospital, tens stitches and a why did you try that lecture, I was good as new. Now I am not fond of July 4th, blue poodles and sometimes my youngest brother.
So here we are with our local fireworks show cancelled again due to the dry conditions. Elaine and I decided to buy the twins to bicycles before the holiday. They have been doing chores at home as well as the store, they have earned the bikes. I am really proud of them.
Getting back to me, I earned my first new bike delivering newspapers. It was a one-speed bike with baskets to carry my papers. I rode it everywhere.
The twins bikes are nothing like my bike. They have 18 speeds, shock absorbers, and so many cables they don’t have room for newspaper baskets. They have another thing I didn’t have. Helmets, just in case they get tripped by a blue poodle.
Happy 4th of July! Enjoy the holiday. With any luck, you have tomorrow off. I went into work today because I have carpenters and drywallers that wanted to work. Imagine that!
Our crazy lives!
Monner
