[Hildy]

When I was seven years old I saw a woman running, carrying a towel with three fingers on it. She was running to the hospital because her son had lit a cherry bomb in the basement before he realized there was no place to throw it! It's just one of those memories that has stuck with me throughout my life. I guess that's my aversion to people setting off fireworks. Now professional fireworks. that's another story. We just moved to Bullhead City, AZ across the river from Laughlin, NV. On July 4th they have the best firewors display in the west. They happen to launch it practically next door to where I live on the Colorado River. I can literally sit on my balcony and it's like a private fireworks display. I've never been so close to something so wonderful before. I can't wait until Tuesdsay to experience it again!

[Ainast]

I can believe some kids are dumb enough to light a cherry bomb in doors, but to not get rid of it??? The kid deserved what he got.

[tumblindice]

"a towel with three fingers in it"
That's why God gave us ten. (I did almost put my eye out once, but I have a spare.)

Heaven has a sign over the gates that says,
"Out of State Fireworks, Liquor and Firearms, Inside, All Free"

[ncountylee]

We had 3 finger Eddie in my neighborhood. He was making a match head pipe bomb when it exploded. He flushed his fingers so that "his folks wouldn't know" but left the pipe sticking out of his head. True story and 3 fingers was pretty much the same after the accident mentally as he started out very low on the food chain. A few teachers even called him 3 fingers.

[MPJackal]

When I was a kid I remember a friend had a jar that he was collecting bugs in. He feel and cut his had very badly. They had to sew his had against his stomach to do a skin graph (I don't think they do it like that any more).

A couple of years later my brother wrecked his bike going down a very steep hill, very fast. Ripped a large portion of his face off.

I broke my collar bone sled ridding (we iced the track).
Separated my shoulder playing football (needed surgery).
Riped my chin open falling through the roof of a cabin (because it was there).
Got attacked by a dog and needed 45 in my hands and arms (I currently have 3 dogs).

Sh@t happens. Sometimes it is someones fault, sometimes it's not. You just can not and should not go through life trying to prevent every accident or ban things that can injure someone. If we did that for everything, what would be the point of living?

[JavaTheHutt]

I can't wait until Tuesdsay to experience it again!

For some of us, the sounds of the fireworks evoke memories of far away lands. That's one sleeping dog I'd prefer to not wake up. Think I'll be spending the majority of Tuesday evening sitting inside with headphones on, listening to some music. No fireworks display for me, thank you.

[sam_paine]

When I was seven years old I saw a woman running, carrying a towel with three fingers on it.

That's another thing you need to understand about men.

From birth till late twenties, guys think they're immortal. After that we become mortal, but we only believe that something some other idiot does will get us killed.

Thus, put a 7 yr old boy in your situation: "Cool! I hear the fingers are haunted and will poke your eye out while you're asleep! Etc."

Put a 37 yr old man in that situation: "Dumbass lighting that in his own basement. He shoulda thrown the cherry bomb in the toilet at school like we used to!"

DISCLAIMER: No offense to the de-fingered digitally-challenged kid, or to your permanently imprinted psyche. This is another reason why you ladies are elevated and respected as the "fairer sex."