Fourth of July

by Leonore Wilson

Issue No. 52 ~ September, 2001

I’m on the lawn at the Veterans Home. Families wait, anticipating the routine in heaven — a wad of sparks, red-blue-white-yellow-blue-white-red, bop-bop-bop, and the shirr-rr of whistles. One little green beret, dead drunk, asks for part of my blanket. How can I refuse him as …