43 : First Fourth

Two years later, it was time for fireworks again. A year ago we’d missed them, enjoying instead a very quiet and uneventful day down in Colombia. (I believe Yali had pancakes.) So now it was his turn to witness this American celebration for the first time.

Puck had already found good use for his shiny new black and silver Nagle’s padlock.

“MOM!” he bellowed from the kitchen. “MOM! I’M PADLOCKING THE FRIDGE SO YALI CAN’T GET IN THERE ANYMORE, OKAY?”

Sure enough, I walked out into the kitchen looking to put away breakfast, and a padlock and chain connected the fridge door to the freezer door. No opening that without a code.

“Son, I need you to unlock that for me.”

As the morning continued, I found need for Puck to unlock and re-lock the fridge several times over. Finally, he’d had enough.

“You’re going to have to learn that code sometime, Mom. If you’re home alone, you won’t be able to make yourself lunch.”

So I learned it.

I think Yali’s first Fourth was a success. A full house over at the Big House also included Judah Rye, our old family friend, visiting from Ethiopia, but without the rest of the family.

And once burgers, hot dogs, and Francis’ eclectic stash of homemade fireworks had been concluded, we loaded up for the Florissant display.

Puck and Yali spent most of the show camped out on a blanket covering a tarp, waving glowing foam light sticks, gifts from Grandma and Aunt Petunia. Yali cuddled up next to Puck, amazed at the rush of lights and explosion of sound.

“POP!” Puck declared at each burst.

“POP!” Yali crowed, right after him.

“It’s raining gold!” Puck announced.

And Yali would repeat, if not with actual words, in the same cadence and tone, “It’s raining gold!”

Then he would sometimes grin, laugh, and turn around to see if I had noticed the imitation of his brother. And back his black head of hair went on his brother’s shoulder to continue observing this unexpected light show in the sky.

Whatever Puck does, Yali does.