Fireworks and Liquor
Fireworks and Liquor. Where did this phrase come from? As hard as I try to remember, I haven’t a clue. All I know is that for the past several years if someone asks me what I would do if I won the lottery or inherited millions of dollars, I say, “buy fireworks and liquor.” I’m joking, of course. Mostly. A little bit.
I do have a fantasy, perhaps a dream, though, of throwing a huge outdoor party with lots of booze, music, food and meat. It would be a balmy night in a wide-open, flat area, preferably near a lake or an ocean. Everyone would be invited. I don’t care. People would be falling-down drunk, the music would make your teeth hurt and the smell of barbecuing meat of every kind would hang in the air. What else do you need? I’ll tell you.
Midnight pops into my head. It doesn’t have to be, though, it could be nine, ten, as long as it’s as dark as can be. I would choose a night with the smallest moon possible, one of those crescent or waning moons or whatever the hell they’re called, yet clear skies. There would be little to no artificial light nearby. Perfect. Then all of a sudden – BOOM! One of those bright white flash fireworks explodes in a way that not only do you hear it, you feel it in your chest. Your heart beats faster and your colon clinches. Well, maybe that’s just me.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! The crowd’s just getting warmed up. Then, for several hours, non-stop fireworks of every kind. The sky is a kaleidoscope (yes, I said ‘kaleidoscope’) of green, red, blue, orange… every color of fire you can imagine. No, not deep ochre. It’s the most expensive display of all time. It’s the greatest waste of money… well, maybe not. Everybody’s cheering and clapping and yelling, but they can’t be heard above the explosions. They can hardly be seen because the smoke and ash fallout is too thick. God, it’s great! SMOKE! That unmistakable, intoxicating smell of gunpowder smoke. Okay, now I need a cold shower.
All right, you get the picture. Fireworks and Liquor. Maybe you have your own dream party planned. Please invite me. I promise to fall down.
Tune in next time for “Wickey – How My Love of Liquor Began”
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Steve Mancini is co-author of the best selling satirical novel “Weeping Willow: Welcome to River Bend“
March 14th, 2008 at 5:15 pm
Several HOURS? I’ll need a defibrillator. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll be there, I’ll just need a defibrillator.
June 17th, 2008 at 6:02 pm
“FIREWORKS AND LIQUOR”…Bravo!!! Of course! Two things that mix well!
HEY! I wish I could write like you! One page!
I love it, Pockey!
June 17th, 2008 at 6:53 pm
You like fireworks and liquor? I would have never known! ;-}
June 18th, 2008 at 5:26 am
Yep, you’re from Michigan, all right….where else can you buy liquor, fireworks, guns, ammo, pizza, and get a haircut and an oil change at the same business? Where else do the schoolkids get the opening day of deer hunting season off?? Hunting season? No, what we actually call it up here in the north is “drunk assholes from Detroit with loaded guns season.”
Love the blog so far!
June 18th, 2008 at 9:10 am
Hello, Marshie,
Don’t forget Lotto tickets. How else could one afford those fancy red flannel hunting pants?
I only went deer hunting once. I leaned against a tree dreaming of warmth, food and sleep, not neccessarily in that order. I saw a dear, it saw me, and that was the end of my deer hunting days.
Thanks for stopping by. I hope you’re enjoying your summer in beautiful northern Michigan. I’d love to be skipping rocks in Petoskey right about now.
June 20th, 2008 at 5:00 am
Steve, I just had to share this with ya….as I came into work this morning, there was a dusty, beat-up pickup truck parked in front of our building with an honest-to-god real squirrel tail mounted on the top of the antenna, waving merrily in the breeze….gotta love Michigan, eh?? But I also need to tell you that it is one of those perfectly perfect Michigan summer mornings….a little cool but just right…not a cloud in the sky…no humidity…wish I was someplace other than work! I am heading to Pentwater this weekend however–spent MANY summers there as a kid and haven’t been back for several years…a lovely area if you’re familiar with it…? Have a great day!
June 20th, 2008 at 10:04 am
Um… that pickup truck didn’t happen to be lime green with a WRIF bumper sticker on it, did it?
I had a very good friend who lived in Ludington and a college roommate who was from Grand Haven, so I am familiar with Pentwater. It’s very picturesque. I’m green with envy (lime green) about your weekend trip. That aside, I hope you have a great weekend there!