Happy Fourth of July

Today I went back to my mom's home, expecting to celebrate the Fourth the way I used to... a parade two blocks away from her house, followed by a milkshake at one of the hot dog stands. But, as it turned out, I got a phone call on my cell and was five minutes late getting out of her house, and halfway down the block you could see the swarms of people heading back to their cars and homes. That is how short the parade was. The police department was already taking down the roadblocks and letting traffic through. Used to be, I would leave my house at ten to twelve, and would not head for the shake until about two pm. And my stomach would be full of candy tossed from the floats, my ears would still be ringing from the police car sirens and fire engine horns and all the bands and bagpipes... which I would hear from my house warming up at the parade's starting area. This year, I heard the bagpipes warm up for ten minutes, and didn't even hear them actually start marching. So I said screw it and loaded the kids up in the car. All the hot dog stands were closed. And I saw hardly any flags flying this weekend, even on my road trip to OH. What is the Fourth coming to? Are the only people who care about it the servicemembers and vets and their families? Does it take wearing the uniform or having a loved one wear it to understand what the fourth is all about? This year the fourth seemed like just another day in the month. The only thing that seems to be making it special for me is the fact that I am now divorced and just got the kids back from their visit with their father. I didn't see any pride around me. Just another excuse to take off work and party and make noise. They are already lighting off fireworks, and it ain't even dark... and I have to get up early tommorrow for work.