4th of July
I spent the fourth of July sick as a dog. I had a fever, sore throat, cough, headache, nasal congestion, and a general ache all over. My intentions to join Corey and Hattie at Cornerstone were thwarted. Instead, I slept all day long, waking only once to wipe my nose.
At some point late in the evening I made my way upstairs to see the sun setting. Suddenly I felt quite upset by the fact I wasn't going to see any fireworks. Indignantly, I threw on some clothes and grabbed a bag of tissues and informed my mother I was going to see the fireworks, and stormed out the door. I put the classic rock station on the radio and rolled the windows down, letting warm summer air rush in around me as I headed for Peoria. I stopped at the ice cream shack on the way and got an oreo blizzard to keep me company, blatantly disregarding the fact that I had a mountainous size of phlegm in my throat that it would have to get past. I was not going to be sick, damnit. I was going to see the fireworks and have ice cream....And maybe a cigarette, too.
I headed down toward the riverfront, where Peoria's spectacular SKY 2001 show is every year, only to find every good spot already taken. I drove up and down 116, crossed the bridge and went down some street like Glen, only to cross back across the river just as the show started. As I drove across, the fireworks were booming and exploding right outside my window over the river. The cars in front of me slowed down and I wondered if sparks would hit us. We were that close. I loved it! I had to shout and yell and laugh! It felt so good to be alive, with my rock music and oreo blizzard and front-row-bridge-view of the spectacle. I just kept yelling and smiling and hopping in my seat, singing along to the radio, dipping my spoon in my cup and driving slowly along, steering with my knee. I must have looked like a crazy woman. But it didn't matter.
And that was the beauty of my 4th of July experience. I was utterly, totally, sickly, alone. I had no one with me to share the fireworks with, or even the oreo blizzard with, but I had a damn good time. I realized how happy I am, and how much progress that is for me....I realized I was free from many things that used to harm me and upset me, and I'm happier than I've been in a long time. I finally parked on 116 and watched the end of the show over the top of the trees, and thanked God for everything and anything.
