One Apple A Day #112
It’s late when I go out on my small balcony for a cigarette. I’m not a proper smoker. I can’t remember last time I smoked one. At least a month ago. Anyway, this evening I need a cigarette. I had a very tough day. One of those days when you keep asking yourself why. Just why. Because there must be a damn good reason to endure all this hatred.
When I light the cigarette, already tasting the dizziness that comes with the first drag, I saw him.
My neighbour is building something in his garden. I wouldn’t have noticed it normally, but it’s almost midnight, and he looks very engaged.
I keep observing him while I slowly smoke. A little late show to keep all my thoughts and demons at bay.
When he finishes, he moves on the side to admire his work. It’s a kind of square metal grid on top of some wood poles, half his height. There are some things on the crosses of the grid that I can’t identify and cables running below.
And then he looks at me. He looks excited to have some audience. He waves his hands and shouts to me “Happy Fourth of July buddy!”.
Damn, it’s our independence day. I completely forgot about it, probably because I spent the whole day feeling like a slave.
“Are you ready for the show?”
The neighbour is talking to me. A kind of a small torch has appeared on his right hand.
At that moment I understood. The Fourth of July, his obsession with fireworks.
“Isn’t it dangerous … ”
I don’t have the time to finish my sentence because he is already giving fire to his new creation.
There are a few seconds when it looks like nothing is going to happen. Then everything goes South. I don’t’ know what his plan was, but I bet this sequence of explosions wasn’t in it. I watch the trees in his garden lighting up as if they are made of paper. Some fireworks are flying around the backyard, at least two enter his house. He is frozen in the middle of the garden. The torch in his hand and a numb expression on his face.
I have to do something. I drop my cigarette, run inside and then out on the stairs, barefoot. I’m almost down to the hall when I hear the explosion.