When I was a kid, July 4th was my favorite holiday. First, it was summer on LI, which was the best time, and it meant to me that my birthday was two weeks away. Plus, to a baseball fan, it meant the All Star Game, even though that's not something I've followed for over 45 years now.
Christmas wasn't my holiday -- though it was nice to see Christian friends get their loot. As a kid T Day meant eating -- not something I cared too much about until adulthood. No -- the 4th was a great American holiday, and for my friends and me, the best.
As a small child, I remember going to Eisenhower Park. Actually, it started out as Salisbury Park, but they changed the name to honor Ike. My Mom would pack a picnic dinner of chicken and salads, and we'd throw a blanket on the grass and wait for the fireworks. My Dad loved to watch them, and I still do.
Years later, when my friends and I were 16, we decided to get away with going to Beefsteak Charlie's in the Nassau Mall. They advertised all the beer, wine, or sangria you could drink, with your steak and salad bar, and someone at school mentioned that since they were primarily a restaurant, they didn't ask for ID. So Mark, Mike, Eric, Fitz, and I dressed in our nice jeans and actual collared shirts, and walked over. It was true! They served us as much as we wanted, and then we staggered out onto Hempstead Turnpike for the few mile walk to the park. We figured we'd meet girls, but we ended up just laying in the grass watching the fireworks. I miss Beefsteak Charlie's.
Fast forwarding four more years, I recall well July 4, 1981. I was a college sophomore, and my then buddy Vince was house sitting for his parents in North Miami. His folks were at their place in the Keys. We planned a party to end all parties, and it was awesome. We had UM friends, and friends I had made working as a pharmacy tech at Boca Hospital. Vince's childhood friends were there - it was a scene out of an 80s teen/young adult movie, like Porky's.
Two of the guests were childhood sweethearts Al and Crissy -- married, but still partying hard. Crissy died a few years ago, and poor Al still can't get on with his life. We reconnected on FaceBook, and had lunch a few months ago in the Grove. He clearly recalls the party of '81, too.
When the Ds were small, we'd plan staycations for the 4th -- at the Biltmore Hotel in the Gables. The Ds loved swimming in the pool, just slightly smaller than the Gulf of Mexico, and I'd sip overpriced but delicious frozen drinks while watching them.
I remember one year the Miami Dade mayor Alex Peneles was there with his family, and we chatted -- he was a classmate of mine at the U. D1, maybe 10, was blown away that I knew someone so "famous." Funny -- I figured he was destined for greatness in politics, but he sort of faded away, while the pendejo Marco Rubio skied in his career. Go figure.
This year, Wifey and I will head to Miami Beach, to the Raleigh. D2 and Jonathan will be in NYC -- maybe watching the Macy's East River show from a rooftop somewhere. D1 and Joey plan to visit ancient Grandma, my suegra, early in the day, and then retire to their balcony, where they can see multiple displays, from the City of Miami, and the Beach, and maybe even Hollywood's display.
I tell the same joke to people each year, as I did to our dinner companions John and Rita last night. I tell them I feel bad for Wifey -- the 4th is no big deal for her, since being married to me she gets to see fireworks most nights. Wifey's eye rolls have been constant for nearly 31 July 4ths now.
I still love the holiday.
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