The Fireworks Perspective

I love fireworks.  Who doesn’t?  They’re magical.  On the other hand, Red, White & Boom, Columbus’ titanic Fourth of July fireworks show, is an absolute zoo.  Hundreds of thousands of people cram into downtown to watch the blasts and hear the booms, and then the city is gridlocked forever by a colossal, once-a-year traffic jam.

I hate massive, milling crowds of sweaty, messily drunken people, and I despise unending, exhaust-laden traffic jams.  So, as much as I like fireworks, I have let my disdain for getting caught in a crush of humanity keep me from ever watching a Red, White & Boom show.

Until this year — potentially.  The accompanying photo is taken from one of the chairs at the table in our backyard.  It shows the tops of two of the buildings in the southern part of downtown Columbus.  On Friday night, when Red, White & Boom begins, I’ll be out in my backyard, drinking an ice-cold adult beverage and waiting to see whether the fireworks are visible from my backyard perch.  If so, I’ll quaff my frosty tonic and enjoy the show.  If the fireworks unfortunately don’t show above the rooftops, I guess I’ve just have to guzzle my brew nevertheless.