Boom

There seems to be bumper crop of pyrotechnic types all along the
Connecticut shore during the 4th. We use to visit my sister down along the
Connecticut shore for a 4th of July cookout. Afterwards, we'd all grab a lawn
chair and head for the beach. At the top of the beach, we'd sit with a group
of other folks, and watch the pyrotechnic crowd... pretty well liquored up, set
up and launch some impressive ordnance. As the evening went on, I noticed
a lot of the locals setting next to us, started to move further and further
back. Hmmmm... "That's strange," I whispered*to my wife. What we didn't
know was, the alcohol and the heat of the night, started to work on the
launchers of our entertainers. Trying to keep upright, in addition to placing
and attempting to steady the launching tubes of some pretty serious
skyrockets, had me grabbing the misses and motioning...let's get out of
here. No sooner than I pick up my lawn chair, then a tube launcher fell over...
blasted a rocket skimming across the water and right at one of the cabin
cruisers anchored off shore. Those folks sitting in the cockpit couldn't move
fast enough as the BOOM-BABA-BOOM-BOOM, lit up the entire back end of
their surroundings, sparkled their entire boat, and that ending crackle sound
with star dust settled down upon them. Just when I thought things
couldn't get any stranger, the people on the boat got that... " OH YEAH... "
look, and started pointing and launching roman candles and other
stuff towards the beach. I was going to leave when one of the locals told
me..."Don't leave... this ought to be good."

These folks must've been to the Connecticut shore when we were there...

I grew up shooting bottle rockets and Roman candles at each other, and tossing M80’s at anything that looked game. My brother and I both still sport a couple scars, mine is on my eyelid - with little lasting damage thank God. Nowadays both we and our parents would have been carted off to lockup and for good reason lol.

Alaskaflyer, you and I enjoyed the same kind of fun. Roman candle fights were a blast (sorry, bad pun there) and the only thing that limited our fun with M80's and Silver Salutes was our limited access to $$$ and finding a place to buy them.

Getting hammered, handling pyrotechnics and trying to set peoples boats on fire. What a laugh. Would it still be funny if people got hurt or worse and you'd be wearing orange for 5-15 having to look in the mirror every day? Who'd you blame? Yourself? The booze? Your friends that made you do it?

BBC News: Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Matiss Kivlenieks dies after 'fireworks malfunction'
BBC News - Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Matiss Kivlenieks dies after 'fireworks malfunction'
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/ice-hockey/57725848

"Hold my beer and watch this." The beginning of either a good story to tell, a long jail sentence, or significant medical bills.

No good story began with a salad and nice white wine.