On America's Birthday, Come to DC
Usually before the fourth of July, some friend or another would call me up with grand and fancy plans. These plans would include going somewhere to see "fireworks" and getting together with "tons of other people."
Let's face it, these plans never worked. We'd drive around looking for fireworks and we wouldn't find any. And apparently the "tons of other people" did find them, because we certainly never saw them. The best fireworks I had ever seen at home were at the baseball stadium. They were impressive, but they cost a pretty penny.
There were also a few Independence Days where I was in the mountains. Both times I saw pretty decent fireworks... once because we snuck onto the property of an expensive resort, and the other time was at the local yokel high school where they set off all kinds of things right over our heads.
But I have never seen anything like I saw last night. From the balcony of the apartment where I'm staying you can see the entire city... from Catholic University to the Capital to Southeast to Bethesda, MD. It's the best view in the city in my opinion. And last night it truly looked like the apocalypse had arrived. Everyone in the city was setting off fireworks. As far as you could see, large explosions and clouds of smoke filled the sky. We could also see the official fireworks down at the Mall. Lightning occasionally struck right down the middle of where those fireworks were coming from, and at one point the smoke from those explosions eclipsed the moon. It was spectacular.
Apparently tons of people knew we had a good spot because the crowds just kept coming and filled the parking lot of the high school next to the apartment. Of course, this also involved very small children setting off very illegal fireworks. I thought for sure that either someone down there or I would die.
Next July 4, don't waste your time going down to the Mall in DC with thousands of your closest pals. Find someone who lives in the city, lives on a hill, and has a tall apartment with an amazing view. Then throw some hotdogs on the stove and break out the beers... because I promise that unless you were in World War II, you haven't seen anything like it either.
Let's face it, these plans never worked. We'd drive around looking for fireworks and we wouldn't find any. And apparently the "tons of other people" did find them, because we certainly never saw them. The best fireworks I had ever seen at home were at the baseball stadium. They were impressive, but they cost a pretty penny.
There were also a few Independence Days where I was in the mountains. Both times I saw pretty decent fireworks... once because we snuck onto the property of an expensive resort, and the other time was at the local yokel high school where they set off all kinds of things right over our heads.
But I have never seen anything like I saw last night. From the balcony of the apartment where I'm staying you can see the entire city... from Catholic University to the Capital to Southeast to Bethesda, MD. It's the best view in the city in my opinion. And last night it truly looked like the apocalypse had arrived. Everyone in the city was setting off fireworks. As far as you could see, large explosions and clouds of smoke filled the sky. We could also see the official fireworks down at the Mall. Lightning occasionally struck right down the middle of where those fireworks were coming from, and at one point the smoke from those explosions eclipsed the moon. It was spectacular.
Apparently tons of people knew we had a good spot because the crowds just kept coming and filled the parking lot of the high school next to the apartment. Of course, this also involved very small children setting off very illegal fireworks. I thought for sure that either someone down there or I would die.
Next July 4, don't waste your time going down to the Mall in DC with thousands of your closest pals. Find someone who lives in the city, lives on a hill, and has a tall apartment with an amazing view. Then throw some hotdogs on the stove and break out the beers... because I promise that unless you were in World War II, you haven't seen anything like it either.
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