fireworks

"Celebrate the birth of your nation by blowing up a small part of it." -- The Simpsons

Going out every day and every night for several days in a row takes its toll. Maybe you are just tired enough that the hint of rain is enough to make you stay in on the 4th of July. You would like to see the fireworks, but you're so damn lazy. Although it does give you a chance to prepare for the next workday (read: play video games).

However, you realize that you can see 2 separate NYC fireworks displays from your bedroom window. This is pretty awesome. It's not as good as if you had gone to the waterfront, but this way you can see both Queens' and Midtown Manhattan's displays. You could even see more if it wasn't for the cloud cover. The cloud cover adds a nice effect though, reflecting the colors throughout the entire sky.

From your angle, it looks like Midtown has become a war zone. Buildings are blowing up, and even the Empire State Building is under attack. The sky is red, and you hear the loud explosions of imminent doom. It looks really neat, but you know that if Midtown really were attacked, you would not be safe in your bedroom. Some of the lights look like the kind of multi-colored bouquet of silk that a magician would pull from a hat. That removes the feeling that you're in Iraq with a reporter.

The 2 displays go on simultaneosly, sometimes alternating between the ones you can see. You wish you had roof access so you could see more. The cat doesn't mind until you open the window. He then goes under the bed, where he spends most of the day anyway. The fireworks are just a convenient excuse.

After a long time, the big fireworks stop. You are almost ready for bed, when your neighbors return from their excursion, undoubtedly at the waterfront, and put on a show of their own. They make sure to leave the door of the building open so that anyone not outside gets the full effect of the sounds echoing off the surrounding buildings through the window and through the hallway up the stairs. whistle, POP! whistle, whistle, POP! POP! whistle, whistle, whistle, whistle, whistle, whistle, POP! POP! POP! POP! POP! and so on. The cat returns to his safe haven under the bed, and you wish you could follow. You just want to sleep.