For the last 19 years my parents have been working fireworks stands during the Fourth of July. The first two years we traveled by motor home to Junction City, Kansas to work for a man who owned a stand out there. It was exciting times. Especially the evening four teenaged military children decided to take on the stand. They knocked out our security guard and the commotion arose suspicion to my grandpa who was nearby in the motorhome. He called out my dad, a chase and gunfire ensued as the thieves ran into the plowed corn field next to the tent. They may have gotten off scott-free, but in the commotion of the chase one of the geniuses left behind a military bag with his father's name and rank written inside. Whoops.
For 17 of the last 19 years they have owned their own fireworks business, partnering with my aunt and uncle and grandpa and grandma. They set up two stands in Topeka, both tents.
The first year a major storm knocked the larger of the two stands down. That was a wild night too. I have an incredibly vivid memory of watching my father and uncle attempt to hold down the middle stakes of the tent. They attempted in vain. The storm lifted them right off the ground with the tent and that's about the time they sent the kids off to my aunt's house for shelter. That was a tough year, because even though they thought they had an insurance policy written to protect them from such a disaster, a little underhanded shadiness on part of the insurance company kept them from being able to collect anything. Family and friends came and helped clean up and even purchased wet fireworks knowing they might or might not work once they dried out.
Not long after that we moved that location into the building next to the tent lot. During the year it's a small engine repair shop and used car dealership. Using the word dirty to describe the building would probably be an understatement. It's in a constant state of grease and grime. Each year we do our best to clean it up and make it presentable enough to sell fireworks out of. In rainy years, it's been a good spot to sell from. A few years ago the second tent was migrated to another location and now uses a gutted trailer house instead of a tent. Set up and tear down has certainly become easier for that stand. Putting up a fireworks tent is no small task.
Last week Gabe and I had the pleasure of traveling north to help Grami and Papa get their stand up and running. It was hot. And, greasy. And, grimy. You will be seeing all of that in the pictures. Gabe was happy to help in the "building" and his face and hands showed it.
Doing a little product facing.
Where does this one go?
Right here.
Is that a mustache?!
I thought I was going to have
more time to prepare for this day.
That shelf there definitely needs some work.
Ew. Look at that filthy hand!
Making a "train".
Gee, I wonder how that big mess got there...
If I don't look, maybe she'll go away.
Then again...
...maybe not.
I call this shot "Chimney Sweeper".
Since we left to come back to Oklahoma Gabe has been begging to return to the "building". He very much enjoyed all the new "toys" the stand location had to offer. His mother on the other hand...not so much. I spent a lot of time correcting and redirecting. Child safety proofed that place is not.
Wherever you're spending your Indepedence Day this year I hope it's full of good food, friends and family, and celebration. And, while you're celebrating give a thought or two to all those folks that spend it working to earn a little extra cash for their families.
Happy Fourth to you all!
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