Year of writing 185. Fireworks

7/4/12

The fourth of July in Ojai is a eerily familiar event every year.  There is a parade in the morning, swimming at some pool or another in the afternoon, and the community fireworks at the High School football field. 

The parade is silly.  People line up chairs on the sidewalk literally a week before the thing starts, and it lasts maybe thirty minutes.  There's the high school band, the Hari Krishnas, cops on horses, some kids demonstrating karate, the cheerleaders, and this dog with sunglasses:

That's it.  Wait.  There is the Ojai Valley News photographer, whom I failed to get a clear shot of.  This dude has a 80's glam rock mullet, dyed mauve.  He's up in everybody's face with his camera, posing as if he were modeling photography maneuvers for National Geographic.  He makes the parade, in a really uncomfortable way. 

At least there was watermelon.  And a guy passing out little American flags.  Also not pictured is the 6 person golf cart my stepdad bought from the side of the road, covered in crepe paper and flags.  All it needs is an Awooga horn, and we are certified rednecks.










The swimming in the pool part is awesome, always.  Every cousin imaginable comes, hijinks ensue, and general partying happens.  The fireworks - kinda lame.  Imagine every bad USA song, played just loud enough to be super annoying, like a mosquito in the middle of the night - as the soundtrack to a small town pyrotechnics show and tons of oohs and aahs.  Then, when it's over, the city of Ojai sets up a cattle run to get off the football field that takes 4.5 hours to maneuver.  I think we're watching the fireworks from our living room next year.