what a crazy 50 hours. another reason i love being my age--i'm fully justified in doing things that in all logical thinking make absolutely no sense, but season my summer days with excitement.

so michelle calls at work around 10:15 monday night and asks why i can't go to quincy for the famous third of july celebration. after explaining the bus situation, she asked if i could go if she were to drive up and get me. i say yes, she says she's on her way up.

i meet her at bethy's around 2:30, and after a few, we head home. went to bed around 3:30, alarm set for 6:00. and i couldn't sleep.

so after approximately an hour and a half of sleep (if i'm lucky), we head out. we shot for a 6:30 departure, left around 6:45. arrive at amelia's at 10:30, then she runs me back to her place and i promptly crash on the couch. rita and i watch the coyote ugly dvd, and i expect to fall asleep during it, but instead watch the film and all of the additional features before i drift off to a couple hours' sleep.

wake up, eat a little lunch (rita rules and bought me wendy's--trips to quincy and wendy's has become peanut butter and jelly for me--can't have one without the other), then head out to "the packy" to get alcohol. michelle gets denied because her ID had expired. so we pick up donald, he didn't bring his ID, so we drive him back. HE gets denied because his ID had expired. so we pick up clarky, who was already drunk, and we're wondering if he's even going to remember what we need. yet he pulls through, so we head to rob's. then dom's, then around the waterfront.

the evening can be recalled by colors--the yellow molten ambers of the fire as dom cooked steak tips and of the bonfire at the water's edge, the black inky mirror of the ocean, sterile sky blue from the flourescent street light that kept flickering on and off throughout the evening, glittering silver and green of the fireworks over the water, the flash of an orange visor, the blue, yellow, and red of the glowsticks around hundreds of necks (including my own).

the number of people celebrating and having fun was unlike any neighborhood celebration i've ever attended. walking by the police with my plastic cup was an odd sensation, but unsuprisingly pleasant. i love michelle's friends, and felt comfortable joking around with donald and joycey in particular. one guy introduced himself to me the most creative way i've experienced...while there was a bit of disappointment, i'm choosing to focus on the positive, because it was too good a time to be soured by a bad mood.

walking home, the inevitable exhaustion, weariness, and frustration: a man screaming in the street at the "cokeheads" who are ruining "his neighborhood", storming up to the link fence in what seemed to be a surefire prelude to a punch (later met by police), a drunk girl hysterical and begging for her friend to let her go, a teenage boy trying to get another to admit he didn't cause the black eye on the latter's face. the buildup of the day had taken its toll. yet i know everyone will be ready for another fantastic time next year. as am i. :)

i arrived back in fair haven in time for my shift and finally made the trek home, collapsing into the creaky chair in front of the computer to jot down my thoughts before i collapse for my much-deserved slumber.

happy belated fourth, happy belated third, and thank you to quincy for a blast. :)

oh, the now somewhat untimely link of the day is provided by bethy: "what a way to celebrate this day of domination"