Twin Falls Can Now Sleep as the Holiday Ends

I saw a 1978 Dodge pickup in a public parking lot, and some guys were shooting off fireworks.  I know the make of the truck because my dad owned one.  In 1978.  The men I saw were out in the very early morning hours on Independence Day.  It’s not like there was any danger of arrest.  Twin Falls Police could only play a version of whack-a-mole as the entire city echoed like a battleground.  Sunday was much the same.  I recalled that I had a conversation early last week with several people who told me they were surprised by the lack of fireworks activity.  Then their neighbors made up for it over the weekend!

The Battleground Lasted Day and Night

I can sleep through almost anything, but the nature of my work makes me an early riser.  The sounds of crack, boom, and bang continued until sunrise and beyond.  On Monday morning, it sounded like the ammunition was mostly spent.

One of my old bosses now manages radio stations in Kansas City.  Last week he bemoaned a lack of interest in the country’s anniversary, and said there wasn’t the enthusiasm of 1976.  Maybe, but we were young then and everything was new.  My only tour of the White House was in 1976, as well as my first visit to the Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument.  Of course it all looked big!  I was 13 that summer, and I expect someone in their early teens this year was caught up in excitement.  I see a canyon every day when I drive home from work.  It’s amazing, but much more so for those who view it for the first time.

Be Thankful We Live Here

Saturday morning I had breakfast with a group of friends.  One picked up the entire tab.  He’s celebrating 60 years since he came here from Portugal.  He still feels blessed every morning he wakes up in America.  He can live with the noise during the holiday.