Backyard Fireworks

Americans have a special bond with fireworks. Perhaps it has to do with our national anthem having that bit about "rockets red glare and bombs bursting in air."

No other town epitomizes our countries love of fireworks more than Joplin, MO. I would estimate that they have one of the highest ratio of fireworks stands/stores to people in the country. You can also buy hard liquor at Wal-Mart day or night.

I lived there for about 3 years and I will never forget the first 4th of July I spent there. I didn't know anybody so I decided to stay in. Shortly after dark all hell broke loose. I went outside and it sounded like WWIII, but it was hundreds of individual fireworks displays shot off right from people's front yards and driveways. It was amazing. Every direction you looked there were rockets and showers and shells lighting up the sky. And since it was a nearly windless night, there was a thick cloud of fireworks smoke hanging over the town like fog.

My last 4th of July in Joplin Benay came up to visit. I decided to finally get in on the action and I bought a bunch of fireworks from my co-worker's daughter who was selling them as a fundraiser. (move over world's best chocolate and girl scout cookies, who wants those when we can buy explosives) They had names like "The Big One" "Death From Above" and "Run Hadji Run"(the best of the bunch BTW)

It took us almost 40 minutes to shoot them all off. It was amazing. I don't have a whole lot of fond memories from my Joplin days, but that 4th of July with Benay is definitely one of them.