D
Del Martin
Guest
Happy Independence Day,
As an adult the Fourth of July isn't usually a big deal for me, but I certainly remember it as a kid.I'm pretty sure there are very few communities that have the kind of celebration we had in Hermiston, OR in the fifties (or midcentury as the real estate people like to refer to that time). Do you think in these legalistic and cautious times, that in some small community two teams of volunteer firemen are facing off with fire hoses aimed at an empty beer keg in the middle of main street with the sidewalks jammed with shirtless boys eager to be knocked down by a stream of high pressure water or at least soaked to the very bone? Think that some city official might question that an out of control beer keg flying towards the crowd at great speed might not be a great idea? Not then.Any scars would be a badge of honor or a t least a good story; not unlike blowing your fingers off with cheap fireworks.
I'm sure there are still plenty of civic organizations sponsoring fun events on the holiday. But do they have donkey baseball? Is there an opportunity to ride an elephant..or ride in a cart pulled by an ostrich? Hello. I don't think so.Go on with your soccer match, I'm headed to Hat Rock to watch the water skiing competition and high speed boat shenanigans.
Sure fireworks may be more technically brilliant these days,but where do you go to see those sensational ground displays of red white and blue fireworks attached to chain link fencing in the shape of the flag and other patriotic themes? Is that the face of Betsy Ross?What is that exactly? I think her hair is on fire.Dear Lord some kind of rocket has fizzled and is headed towards the bleachers.Now that's fireworks.
As I recall it was quite grand and made me eager for the upcoming county fair and carnival where the year before I had seen a screaming monkey in a little red silk suit riding a motorcycle at great speed round and round a whirling barrel contraption. And made myself very ill on the tilt a whirl after eating too many corndogs and snow cones.
This year it's looking like Spiderman in 3D.How times have changed. Happy Fourth.
Del
As an adult the Fourth of July isn't usually a big deal for me, but I certainly remember it as a kid.I'm pretty sure there are very few communities that have the kind of celebration we had in Hermiston, OR in the fifties (or midcentury as the real estate people like to refer to that time). Do you think in these legalistic and cautious times, that in some small community two teams of volunteer firemen are facing off with fire hoses aimed at an empty beer keg in the middle of main street with the sidewalks jammed with shirtless boys eager to be knocked down by a stream of high pressure water or at least soaked to the very bone? Think that some city official might question that an out of control beer keg flying towards the crowd at great speed might not be a great idea? Not then.Any scars would be a badge of honor or a t least a good story; not unlike blowing your fingers off with cheap fireworks.
I'm sure there are still plenty of civic organizations sponsoring fun events on the holiday. But do they have donkey baseball? Is there an opportunity to ride an elephant..or ride in a cart pulled by an ostrich? Hello. I don't think so.Go on with your soccer match, I'm headed to Hat Rock to watch the water skiing competition and high speed boat shenanigans.
Sure fireworks may be more technically brilliant these days,but where do you go to see those sensational ground displays of red white and blue fireworks attached to chain link fencing in the shape of the flag and other patriotic themes? Is that the face of Betsy Ross?What is that exactly? I think her hair is on fire.Dear Lord some kind of rocket has fizzled and is headed towards the bleachers.Now that's fireworks.
As I recall it was quite grand and made me eager for the upcoming county fair and carnival where the year before I had seen a screaming monkey in a little red silk suit riding a motorcycle at great speed round and round a whirling barrel contraption. And made myself very ill on the tilt a whirl after eating too many corndogs and snow cones.
This year it's looking like Spiderman in 3D.How times have changed. Happy Fourth.
Del