Fireworks, Waterfalls and Romance



Logan Square 2010

Love reveals itself in that magic moment
when each one changes into both--Tantra tradition



Many moons ago I did something I dreamed of doing since my 15th birthday. Fourth of July, 19XX, found me sitting on a park bench, away from my friends watching the flashing silver streamers and gold twinkles of the annual fireworks display. As the aerial bombs exploded into dazzling light, I felt the hot summer breeze drift over my damp skin, but I didn't care because I sat there with my first serious girlfriend.

Straight up Park Street, past the Girl Scout House, the baseball fields and about 35 feet past the two lions guarding the entrance to Riverside Park, there it sat. We used to call it the waterworks, but the Kodachrome fountain that sat about 40 yards from the Shelter House put on its own display, shooting bright plumes of water high in the and all the while changing colors in soothing rainbow of red, blue and green.

Holding hands, there were as stars in our eyes as in the sky. Although I was sitting on the bench, I was far away on another planet watching the silver rings of Saturn and awesome diamond studded belt of the Milky Way. I was in love for the first time in my life; I mean smitten, swept off my feet and overcome with emotion.

Although neither of us spoke, communication flowed through the gushing pipelines of hearts. With what is now known as Logan Square fountain playing its music on the surface of the catch pool surface, even though it must have been nearly 100 degrees, I felt nothing except the smoothness of her skin touching mine.

Normaly, the 4th of July found me hanging out at the Lone Cheif Cabin where a party  was usually in progress or all of my friends and I would set on the cemetery fence and watch the display. SometimesLewis Vann or Troy Wilson would join in the hijinks, but not on this night. However, even though my mind was far away my location wasn't.

"There you are," Larry Morrison said. "We've been looking for you for more than an hour. Johnnie told us you were out here."

Bucket-head Johnson chimed in, "DB doesn't want to be bothered." Leroy wasn't known for startling insights, but even he could see the lost look on our faces. Before I could get a word out my partner Gayle and Jo Ann Pringle walked up.

"You guys gonna sit here all night? I thought we were going to drop the top and head out to Six-Mile Junction?"

Even as hot as it was, riding with top down at 70 miles an hour cooled you off quickly. Finally, got up and stood looking at the fountain until I pulled her close to me and gently brushed her lips with mine. With the stars and fireworks shining in the background we walked slowly to my car holding hands and with our heads leaned together. We'd come to Riverside Park again, but nothing could surpass that first time of being in love.

That was many years ago, but that night in front the fountain is still in my mind, locked away in my personal treasure chest and my memories of a special night in Independence on the 4th of July.