WEBN Fireworks

The W.E.B.N. fireworks were amazing, albeit loud. At 4:00, several of us met in the parking lot of the university and then loaded into two cars and drove down across the river and into Newport. Parking spaces were hard to come by, so we parked several blocks away from the riverfront at a gravel lot beside the train-tracks. While most people crowded the grassy slopes facing the river, we headed down to the actual rocks and claimed a spot. We created seats out of rocks, arranging them in geometric patterns. We ate gyros, pizza, hamburgers and French fries, and we broke out some kretek cigarettes and smoked those as we waited. As the sun set, the fireworks blossomed, and for how long I don’t know we sat there with our eyes pointed heavenwards as the fireworks crackled and shrieked and burst above our heads. My little sister was absolutely mesmerized, as this picture shows:

The evening was also hilarious, thanks mostly to my roommate Sarah. She has a tendency to do awkward things, even more-so than me, and to be thrust in awkward situations. Here are four that I vividly remember because my laughter was so hard:

1) While walking around Newport with me, my sister Amanda, and Amanda Hoos, Sarah accidentally went ahead of the group, not realizing we were left behind. Some girls next to her said, “It’s amazing how people don’t even try to hide their intoxication,” to which Sarah replied, “Yeah, that guy right up there can’t even walk straight!” It was then that Sarah realized she was talking to complete strangers, and the girls just stared at her and she stared right back, then awkwardly stopped walking and waited for us to catch up.

2) While standing in line for the bathrooms, Sarah made a comment about some girl she’d seen who was making a weird face; she reenacted the face just as the girl in front of us turned and looked at her. Sarah held the face, locking eyes with the girl, and then the girl looked away, stood there awkwardly for a moment, and then went to another line.

3) When Sarah finally got into the bathroom, my sister made the comment, standing in the next line for the porta-john, “When she comes out, knowing her luck, she’ll hit someone with her door.” Just then several workers carrying supplies walked in front of the bathrooms, and we held our breaths. They passed, and we heard Sarah pulling the lock back on the door. Just then a worker, straggling behind, rushed forward just as Sarah pushed open the door, and the door slammed into his face. I jumped up and down, I was so excited.

4) At the end of the evening, Sarah went to the bathroom and forgot to lock the door. As she was peeing, a man opened the door to use the bathroom and just stared at her. He started babbling apologies as he left, and Sarah quit peeing earlier than anticipated and zipped up and quickly left, humiliated.

All-in-all, it was a wonderful night, and we all had a blast—and Sarah and I passed out the moment we got home.