ooooh *bang* aaaahhhhh *hiss* oooh *boom* ahhhhhh *bang*
July 03, 2003, 10:27 pm
Whenever someone asks me "Hey Jess, what's your favorite holiday?" (Oh come on, you know you've been asked that question at least once in your lifetime by someone other than your 1st grade teacher), that person is always bewildered when I answer, "Fourth of July."
It's true; the fourth of July has ALWAYS been my favorite holiday.
Why? Okay, for one, it marks the one month countdown to my birthday (for those less-than-math-saavy, my birthday is August 4th...presents accepted and appreciated, thanks). For two, it's always in the summertime, and that means no school (given my career choice, this continues to be relevant). And three, for my sisters and I, it always meant that we were allowed to play outside until at least midnight.
Let me explain: back at the Former Biensoul Grandparent Compound in downtown Annapolis (okay, Eastport), every 4th would bring pounds and pounds of steamed shrimp, crabs, and all the lemonade we could drink. Not to mention finding the shells of cicadas on trees and decorating Papou's sweater with them. (Like every Greek man his age, he was ALWAYS in a sweater, even in July and the temperature in the 90s.) I tell you what, the fashion industry is seriously missing the boat on the cicada-front! Screw dragonflies!
After a full day of reveling in the backyard with our tummies full and tired of playing cards or frisbee, the family (Aunts, Uncles, and baby cousins in tow) would begin our infiltration of the U.S. Naval Academy grounds to find a spot on a practice field to watch the fireworks. The trek would begin around 6:00pm with the fireworks starting at 9:00pm (the traffic was ridiculous, and with five small kids with little legs, the walk would take awhile). We would splinter into pairs; each adult would have a child buddy, and each team would have a team name, a colored glowstick (not cracked yet), and a battle cry (folks, I'm not making this up; good times). Usually, I would walk with my favorite Uncle George and we would imitate Andy Kaufman's Mighty Mouse schtick on SNL. The first pair to break the entrance of the Naval Academy would be declared the winner.
We would walk over the Eastport bridge, through downtown Annapolis, by the boats downtown harbor, by the eating patrons of Middletons, and through the Navy gates. We would pass by the replica planes and the Memorial buildings to Naval Officers, then come to our landing place. We always forgot to bring the frisbee with us. We'd "ooh" and "aah" over the fireworks and start our trip home, where Yaya would wait on the huge porch with Strawberry Shortcake and Chocolate Mousse (always, always both), and my sisters and I would run around the front yard, content that because of the traffic on Chesapeake Ave, we wouldn't be able to leave the cramped street until well past midnight.
That's why Fourth of July is still my favorite holiday; even though it has been 12 years since we've had a 4th like it always was, it's the memory of those times that can't compare to the store-bought artifice of Halloween or the forced-family-friendliness of Christmas. It was one of the things that made my family unique.
Tomorrow I venture to the Eastern Shore to participate in the Inebriation Olympiad with the Shore Boys; lots of good Maryland crabs are most definitely in store for me; eat up, folks, and have a great FOURTH! (And to all my Canadian and otherwise International brethren, I wish you a happy, schmappy weekend of cursing us beer-guzzling, barbeque-having rebels.)