4TH OF JULY
Parades, bands, picnics, apple pie, barbecues, and fireworks. This is the 4th. of July that I always see in the movies and read about it. I don"t know if it was because of the war in the early forties or just the times, but my immediate family (Father, Mother, Brother and I) did not experience any of those things.
Of course there were no fireworks display during the war. It was in 1946 that I experienced my first fireworks display. It was beautiful, it was exciting, it was loud. I loved the fireworks and still do to this day. In those days there was no Marina where San Leandro met the bay. Infact, we would say we were going to the bay in the area that was named Mulford Gardens. The road ended and there was sand and rocks. Well, there is where the City set up the area for all to come and park there cars in the dirt field by the "bay" and enjoy a display of fireworks. This is where I saw my first fireworks on 4th. of July. This is the first time I played with lit sparklers.
About five years later we lived in an old house in the business district on Washington Avenue across the street from the entrance to Pelton Shopping Center. Years later a commercial building would be built there and the new home would be built behind it, but for now the old house sat back with a lawn in front. It was almost summer and three young entraperneurs, Johnnie Jr., (15) Mkie Jr.,(14) and Bob, (13) wanted to make some money over the summer. They checked out some ideas and finally with the backing (for money) of their Fathers, John and Mike they opened up a Fireworks Stand to sell safe and sane fireworks. The three did well and did it for two more seasons. The three of them had quite a fireworks display of their own on fourth of July for three years.
I remember that some of the older cousins and uncles would go to China Town in Oakland and at that time were able to buy firecrackers, cherry bombs and for the younger group would bring lady fingers. I thought they popped pretty loud back then. In retrospect popping corn in our micro makes a louder pop.
HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY FAMILY
Of course there were no fireworks display during the war. It was in 1946 that I experienced my first fireworks display. It was beautiful, it was exciting, it was loud. I loved the fireworks and still do to this day. In those days there was no Marina where San Leandro met the bay. Infact, we would say we were going to the bay in the area that was named Mulford Gardens. The road ended and there was sand and rocks. Well, there is where the City set up the area for all to come and park there cars in the dirt field by the "bay" and enjoy a display of fireworks. This is where I saw my first fireworks on 4th. of July. This is the first time I played with lit sparklers.
About five years later we lived in an old house in the business district on Washington Avenue across the street from the entrance to Pelton Shopping Center. Years later a commercial building would be built there and the new home would be built behind it, but for now the old house sat back with a lawn in front. It was almost summer and three young entraperneurs, Johnnie Jr., (15) Mkie Jr.,(14) and Bob, (13) wanted to make some money over the summer. They checked out some ideas and finally with the backing (for money) of their Fathers, John and Mike they opened up a Fireworks Stand to sell safe and sane fireworks. The three did well and did it for two more seasons. The three of them had quite a fireworks display of their own on fourth of July for three years.
I remember that some of the older cousins and uncles would go to China Town in Oakland and at that time were able to buy firecrackers, cherry bombs and for the younger group would bring lady fingers. I thought they popped pretty loud back then. In retrospect popping corn in our micro makes a louder pop.
HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY FAMILY
1 Comments:
Bob:
I remember that fireworks stand. Boy you went way back for that one! I enjoyed that story.
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