Essays & General Comments 07-11-03 THE BIG BANG (November 03, 2007)
As I logged on tonight there were fireworks blazing, whizzing and fizzing all around the house - that's the 3rd night in a row. And there will be more tomorrow, and the next day, and probably into next week. Now, don't get me wrong, I am not anti a big firework display. A properly organised, high spending, well regulated, big show off extravaganza of fireworks. Real shows put the garden bangers to shame - the big guys spend more on one firework than you have spent on on your whole show, sorry but you just can't spend the money that the big shows have.
I was chatting to our Local Community Police Officer the other day and she said that this week is the busiest week the police face after New Year's eve. The 'Trick or Treat' scares those on their own and the elderly; and then the fireworks start, and the accidents begin. Bonfires are out of control; kids ALWAYS do something stupid with a firework; People start fires in wheelie bins: and so on and so on and - you know what I mean.
I admit that I am not personally keen on the fireworks. My illness makes me very prone to nervousness (I hate loud sudden noises) and I have 3 animals in the house. I am also not one to forbid other folks the right to have a party on fireworks night.
Hang on a mo - dog's getting hysterical . . .
We have had a hyper moment - now he's crashed out - anyway so - Yes, I am not one to ban everyone else's fun, but it would be nice to have firework night ON firework night. I suppose some people would say they have to have it on Saturday so the kids can stay up late. Well it does get dark very early at this time of year - so you could start at teatime - but OK i get the point. So could we have firework night on THE night and the next Saturday. Just the 2 nights then not the 7 or 8 at the moment.
I thought about this while watching the huge queue at the firework counter in Morrison's the other day. Price has not put people off - some of them are £12 each - think of the paper I could get with that! So how about this - if the fireworks were time controlled. You could pick a secure, insulated box for the 5th or a box for the Saturday night; and at 5pm the box would release its lock and you could open it and have your firework party. If you did not open your box and use them up then the fireworks would self destruct safely within their own box at 10pm. Yes - I am mean - I hate being woken up in the early hours with yet more bangs and crashes, and if it's for the kids you don't want them up much later do you?
Ah you ask - what if you open the box and hide the fireworks for later - the fireworks themselves have the self destruct mechanism - the box just releases them and keeps them safe.
What if some young person hides one for later and there is an accident? Sorry but isn't there always one? You can't do more than tell them - and they learn from us if it can't happen then they won't do it will they - end of.
Well that's my thoughts on the subject - excuse me I have a shaken dog and 2 neurotic cats to calm - again.
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