Rules and Regulations

Alright so this past weekend was a blast but it came at the expense of some sanity. First of all I must give credit to all my friends who chose to come to the suburbs for a cookout. Granted a pool can typically generate friends out of the quietest of neighbors. I digress.

So upon returning to the barrio I get to dodge the onslaught of fireworks. Not a bad thing. Until I try to park my car and get another notch older than before. Whenever I have a "damn kids" moment I know that something bad is happening. I chose not to have them land their equally illegal fireworks on the ride.

Ok I like fireworks. A lot. They are great when done right. However when you start to see a quality anything you begin to realize that for every better removes more innocence. I care not about Neighborhood or even lakeside fireworks. I have seen Disney ones that in my opinion are the best. Why are they the best? Because some jamoke is not lighting them off until damn near midnight.

There is no tact with some people. They simply don't care. It's all about them and who cares what others would prefer. (Am I talking about myself or the fireworkers? You decide) Perhaps my favorite bit of 4th knowledge was that this was the last year for Chicago residents to use sparklers. Sparklers. Where else are kids going to learn about the relative speed metal conducts heat?

This rule bothers me. It is another case and point that we have some of the dumbest parents alive. There are some excellent ones out there. They are using pacifiers, tough love, and even the word no on occaision. Someday soon we won't be able to use knives in Chicago because some kid will hurt themself while mommy or daddy was busy setting the Tivo.

So now that some half wit can't stop watching the game on tv, or gabbing with their newly married friends, some kid who has attentive parents has to drag the kids to a park to watch the the spectacle in the sky. Meanwhile the gifted kids are all chewing on their shoelaces and making stupidity flow like Bud on the northside and the residential regulars are now trying so hard to ignore the social difference between no and know.

In moments when rules are made to excuse responsibility I thank God- for mortality. Someday it will all end.