Fourth of July wishes

To my American visitors - happy Independence Day! Time to bring out the BBQs, sling on those "Kiss the Cook" aprons, and throw some burgers on the grill.

Man, I miss the Fourth of July festivities and fireworks displays. I remember walking with my friends along Memorial Drive in Cambridge, Mass., down by the Charles River, trying desperately to find a good spot to watch the fireworks from. In the end our view was blocked, but the spectacle was still something worth seeing, and the seeming bonhomie and goodwill of most people made the atmosphere fun. I also remember, a couple of years later, walking past Bellevue to the East River, craning my neck above the crowd on FDR Drive to see the fireworks. I was supposed to go to some Fourth of July party (I can't even remember whose it was now) but the general arrangements weren't very clear and I got lazy so I just walked down from my apartment to get a look in.

Proust can keep his madeleines; this is what the smell of a burger on the barbecue does to me.

Random factoid I learnt last night: Tom Cruise was Born on the Third of July. Along with his Thetans.

Comments

nicky blue said…
Interesting how descriptions of the holiday differ...for eg profgrrrrl points out how she dislikes it: "Something about drunk people driving and setting off fireworks in the back yard and an overabundance of American flags just makes me queasy."

But yes, I remember craning my necks for the fireworks myself (I was in Shreveport - don't ask). Having said that...give me madeleines any day!
3 July 2005 at 21:27
Michael McClung said…
As your Official American Visitor, I would like to thank you on behalf of all my fellow countrymen. Cheers!
4 July 2005 at 08:38
The Screwy Skeptic said…
Bah, it's raining on this 4th of July in Chi town, unfortunately, but I did manage to go down to Millenium Park to watch the fireworks display last night.

Now I just have to find a dry spot in the park to set off my own so-big-they're-practically-illegal fireworks.
4 July 2005 at 17:43
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