So, fireworks are serious here. Illegal Class B fireworks are something all Hawaiian dudes/dudettes (brahs, sisters) prize to possess. There have been thunderous booms occasionally in my 'hood in preparation for New year's eve. They shake you right out of bed, even when exploded several blocks away. I nearly soiled myself during the first few 'surprise' attacks,Sanders is a typical Hawaiian brah. We work together. To Sanders, most everyone is a 'dude': nurses, patients, families, doctors, administrators. "Dude, I think the patient is crashing, dude!". Sanders invited us to his family's home in Pearl City, which is adjacent to Pearl Harbor. Driving to the neighborhood, first on the H1 Highway, there are fire works blasting off in all directions of vision. When most of the population has class B fireworks, the 'professional' firework displays of Waikiki beach are diluted in the aerial mix. Driving through the Pearl City neighborhood ( the houses are packed together, typical for any populated island, most of them several generations in multi-family houses) on any other day is a quiet clean decent working class neighborhood. But from sunset December 31st, is near chaos if one did not know better. Spent cartridges and explosive remnants litter the street, and fire-powder smoke hangs semi-translucent in the air. Am I driving through the streets of 1995 Sarajevo?
Sander's family's house is quite large, and sits facing the Pearl Harbor Lake- House, street, Lake(at one time the x-band radar), Pearl Harbor, Pacific ocean, in that order: Pulled pork, Korean-type BBQ, hawaiian/chinese noodles, and on and on. Beer, vodka etc. And the nearly bottomless arsenal of fireworks was non stop. I was privileged to have launched a few mortars (ground to air missiles) with some trepidation and reservation. I like my 2 hands and 10 fingers with which to use to hold chop sticks and beers. They go up, fine. Everyone is vigilant to watch for the one rogue mortar that fails to ascend. The explosion is deafening.....A misdirected mortar could cause a life altering situation. I think it could possibly call one into religion, should they survive the chaotic mess. Next year, your neighborhood might benefit from a Hawaiian brah with dakine choke fireworks.
The drive back, Honolulu seemed to have a fine mist and fog in the air, however the odor of spent gun powder permeating the air reminds you that there is rarely fog in Oahu.I could be wrong, though. Maybe you grew up with terrorist-grade fireworks, and I am just blowing smoke up your skirt, dude.
