We had pretty much decided not to venture out to the community fireworks last night, for many reasons.
1, The fireworks didn’t start until after 9 pm and our kids really need to be asleep by then.
2, There was a thunderstorm forecast, and lastly, but definitely not least,
3, We were under a tornado watch.
You see, I thought that, since all the posters had a rain date marked on them there was no way in Hades the display would go on. The National Weather Service issued the tornado watch (not as serious as a “get in the basement now” tornado WARNING, but still) at about 2.30 in the afternoon. I immediately logged onto the borough’s website to look for the postponement notice. When I didn’t see one, I assumed they were just too moronic to update their website.
Turns out they were a lot more moronic than I gave them credit for.
At 9.30 PM, in lashing rain, they started setting off the damp fireworks.
70 people were there.
The fireworks cost $12,000.
That’s $171.42 per person, and most of them were probably pyrotechnicians and worried borough council members.
it wouldn’t be so sad, except that for a lot of the vendors, this is their biggest fund-raiser of the year. The dive rescue squad, for example.
The forecast for Saturday’s rain date? Beautiful.
PS I called up the fireworks company and said, “So, what if outraged community members got together and raised the money for a replacement display. Could you do it?”
Apparently the insurance would be the problem for a short-notice display. But I bet you if local businesses got together THIS WEEK and scheduled a Labor Day fireworks display instead, they would be touted as local heros. C’mon Chamber of Commerce, start working the phones.
