For many people, mentioning the 4th of July holiday conjures images of parades, marching bands, family barbecues, and fireworks. Lots and lots of fireworks.
Well, that’s what comes to the mind of most people. The first thing that comes to my warped mind when thinking about the 4th of July is listening to Jean Shepherd reading his classic tale of a Mid-Western 4th of July ritual gone horribly wrong, “Ludlow Kissell, and the Dago Bomb that Struck Back“.
The story originally appeared in Playboy Magazine, and was later part of Shep’s classic anthology, “In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash“. The reading of this story on his radio show each year became one of my yearly 4th of July rituals…Yeah, I know that might sound strange, but a childhood filled with Jean Shepherd, Mel Brooks, and watching far too many sitcoms than is healthy for the well-being of any impressionable young mind, has made me the chronic wise-ass I am today. Go figure.
Enjoy, have a Happy 4th, and remember: the manufacturer assumes absolutely no responsibility for this device!
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Photo by SUNVALLEY SURF AND SKATE SHOP 
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