Excerpts from The Life Story of Jeffa P. Hill, Jr. - Fireworks on the Fourth of July

This story made me laugh. I can just hear Grandaddy telling it! I've been thinking my whole life that Grandaddy had led a calm, quiet life, when in fact, his life was more adventurous than just about anyone I know. I sure am glad Grandaddy left us his story. I find such joy in reading it, and it brings laughter and smiles and makes me miss him and Gran just a little bit less!
 
     After school was out in June, we piled in the Buick and went to Tonapah for supplies. Dad got a big box of fireworks at the store. "Junior," he said, "we'll show Silver Peak what a real 4th of July celebration looks like." I could hardly wait, but finally the 4th got there and then I didn't think it was ever going to get dark. When it got dusky dark, Dad got the box of fireworks and we climbed the hill between our house and the school. When them balls of fire shot out of the ends of them sticks, we could see a bunch of folks down at the bottom of the hill. Mom said all the people in town must be there.
     Dad got a pack of fire crackers out, lit them and threw them down the hill. They were a poppin and a banging all the way to the bottom. Then he got what he called a fountain, set it on the ground and lit it up. That thing spewed sparks all over the place. About that time, a little breeze sprang up and blew some of them sparks into the box where the fireworks were. “KER-PLOOY!!” Little balls of fire were shooting everywhere. Fire crackers were popping, little pin-wheels were spinning off over the side of the hill and roman candles were bouncing off the rocks. I had never seen such a sight. Neither had Mom or Dad or them people down below, I guess. 
     It was over in no time. I was bawling, Dad was asking Mom if she was alright, and a bunch of people were scrambling up the hill to see if we was all dead. Dad picked me up and carried me down the hill slipping and sliding and banging his shins on the rocks with me bawling all the time. When we got to the house, Mom stuck her head out the door and yelled at the people that had followed us that we were O.K. and slammed the door. Then she sat in a chair and held me real close, saying everything was all right and that we would get some more fireworks and really have a show, but I think all them people had already seen one.