Passenger | Unedited Version

chapter thirteen | a perfectly good heart

chapter thirteen | a perfectly good heart

"I can't believe that that you guys make this big of a deal about Fourth of July," Indie announces to the group in wonder.

        Miss Mariam, Mama, Indie, and I are all sitting a few hundred feet away from the lake, all spread out on various picnic tables that went out of style a good twenty years ago. The three of us always come over here every year for this holiday, as everyone in this town always makes a big deal about the fireworks and the general holiday. When nearly no fireworks are illegal in this fine state we live in, people tend to shoot fireworks off at nearly any given chance.

        I'm not one to complain about the loud explosions, as I've always been a fan of the things. I guess it just comes with being born and raised in Franklin, you learn to appreciate the traditions with no questions asked. Some traditions you can't help but not partake in, like ones like these you just grow to love over the years.

        I'm pretty sure that Fourth of July is everyone's favorite holiday here, which is really ironic when you think about it. The first shots of the Civil War took place in this state, as the people living here really wanted to have a war take place. The city capital of Columbia, which is only a short drive of twenty minutes away, literally burned down during that war and left the South in ruins. The state wanted to form their own nation for crying out loud, which doesn't seem all that patriotic to me.

        Nevertheless, everyone is patriotic during this national holiday.

        "What is that supposed to mean, Indira? Are you implying that you think that people here are acting like idiots for making a big deal about Fourth of July?" Miss Mariam turns her head to ask the young girl, acting like she's offended at Indie's words. If there's one thing that never fails to amaze me about her is just how much she likes to mess with people. It's terrible, really.

        Indie looks truly frightened by having offended Miss Mariam, so I almost feel bad for letting her believe that it's the truth. "I didn't mean that for that to come out as offensive, oh my God. I just mean that back home, we never really did anything special to celebrate. At the most, we would have a dinner party that would be heavily American themed. That's basically just it for this holiday."

        Mama looks over at Indie in what can only be described as pure bewildment, paired along with an overexaggerated gasp. 'Do you mean to tell me that your family never set off fireworks for Fourth of July?"

        Indie shakes her head, starting to feel a little bit ashamed to not be up to par with some thing that's expected to happen every year here. "It's literally illegal to set off fireworks in most of Maryland, so nope. That's not to say that people didn't always do some anyways, but my parents would never dare to do anything that's slightly illegal. They're way too good of people to go against the law, which I guess is a really good thing."

        "Haven't you ever wanted to shoot some fireworks off, though?" Mama pips in, even though I wish that she won't. "Surely you had to feel let out at some point. Fireworks are pretty much the best thing about this blessed and messed up country. Almost everything is legal here, so we have a really like time out here watching the boys set some off in the lake. Probably not safe for the lake itself, though, but we don't have enough time to worry about environmental issues like that. We'll all be dead by the time that takes any effect, honestly."

        "I never really cared that we didn't do any, as it just wasn't important to me at the time. I know that my parents miss being able to see a huge explosion of bright and colorful fireworks, but more on Diwali than on Fourth of July. They didn't miss it enough to drive to a destined area to see the professional people set some off, though."