How was your Fourth of July? Didn’t get any sleep, I bet.
As is with everything these days, Independence Day was not untouched by the scourge of the coronavirus. No big municipal firework show this year, obviously, and with parks closed and gatherings strictly not recommended, the traditional July 4th barbecue with friends or family was not be as well. Even though the weather was lovely and the sun was out in San Francisco, it was largely just another Saturday this past weekend. That is, until nightfall.
It’s ever expected that once Fourth of July turns into evening, the illegal fireworks come out to play. It’s something you get used to, but of course this year COVID-19 sprinkled some additional magic. For whatever reason, the amount of fireworks and the potency of them were extra high, probably the most extreme that I can remember. And people started early, too - before the sun has even gone down, which doesn’t really make sense because what exactly can you see when it’s still light out? Sadly, logic didn’t stop anything that day.
The noise and bangs from the fireworks were so intense that I put on earplugs as soon as I finished dinner, but even those things can only do so much; there’s no keeping out the sound entirely when it’s that loud. Not sure where people are getting them but the scale have gone completely off the rails. Your illegal fireworks are probably too big if the explosion can be felt through shakes of the windows and building. As someone simply trying to endure through the night, you sort of hope that nothing falls on your roof and catch on fire. To used a tired and inappropriate cliche: it sounded like a war zone out there the whole night of the 4th.
There was some good news: by the time the next day rolled around, it seems my neighborhood have exhausted their supplies because there were far less fireworks on the 5th of July than usual. Thank god for that because there are those us who had to get some proper sleep in order to for work on Monday.
Happy birthday. America; the only civilized country on earth that can’t seem to contain the coronavirus properly. You are indeed exceptional!
All that’s left are leaves.