WHAT IS FREE?

 JULY 4TH

The date resonates with the images of

freedom and fireworks.

 

But in this troubled land, FREE has many meanings ...

 

 

FREE!

 

The fireworks were spectacular.

That was my word for the day. Spectacular. I had another word picked for tonight.

Free.

Mama told me sitting on this sil was dangerous. I could fall off and kill myself. That was funny and sad at the same time.

Funny in that my window being so high above the other apartment buildings made for a …

spectacular view of these fiery (that had been last night’s word) comets going off so bright in the darkness.

Sad in that there were worse things than dying. I flinched as I heard Mama’s boyfriend yell louder just beyond my door where Mama stood.

Yeah, there was living.

At first, she just cried when Dr. Doom, as I called her boyfriend, started … visiting my room late at night.

When I started to walk funny, she seemed to find courage from somewhere and tried to stop him.

Not that it worked. He was bigger and meaner than Mama.

Oooh!

That was a big cloud of fireworks. It seemed to just spread out across the whole dark night …

like the fear in my chest was spreading as I heard Dr. Doom yell even louder.

I studied the fireworks leaping and flaring like some ballet of fiery angels. I jerked as I heard Mama yelp and hit the floor hard.

The exploding stars of green, red, and gold seemed to call out to me.

Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw her boyfriend lumber into the room like some mean bear.

I smiled and sighed. Time for my word of the night. I tumbled off the window sill into the darkness.

 

I spread my arms wide as if I were flying.


The wind caressed my hair, my face. I smiled bigger.
 

I was free. Free! Fre …