Saturday, July 05, 2008

she bang pop pow whiz!

So, apparently, no children or small animals were swept away by a seiche and the swimming ban has been lifted. To celebrate, on the 3rd, Nick and I sat ourselves on the North Avenue Beach to watch the city's firework display. Looking south at the lit Navy Pier, it's flashing ferris wheel and the bit of city skyline that juts out into the lake, we realized we had made an error. Why were we — and hundreds of other people — waiting to not really see fireworks that would be obscured by those, lovely as they are, buildings that jut out into the lake? We watched the sky light-up and were able to see the occasional firework blossom out and above the buildings, much to the excitement of the many children amassed who ewed and awed, but mostly, we sat there listening to the lake lap at the shore.

Alas, the hole in my life where a fireworks display was supposed to fit was filled on The Fourth. You see, Chicago's right next door to Indiana where professional-grade fireworks are on sale to any yahoo with a few bucks — or so it seems, because yesterday evening starting at dusk, the light show began. With the first Pop!, Boom! and Whirrr!, I was out the door. I sat on the corner outside of my apartment building and watched fireworks burst in every direction; thanks to the neighbors, right above me and the drunkies having a barbecue on the traffic median, sometimes precariously in my direction.

The whole neighborhood came out. People walked up and down the boulevard to watch the amateur displays and neighbors gathered in every alley. We collectively ewed and awed and vied for a better view. Happy Independence Day.

No comments: