Winning

When Smackie pulled up at the house this evening, James and Kieran and John and I were in the driveway, shooting fireworks. James and I were drinking beer. James waved Smackie away from the driveway so the paintjob on her car wouldn't get even more wrecked than it already is.

"You boys be careful," she said on her way in the door.

"Don't worry," I said, "drinking and fireworks: it's a winning combination!"

Later, with the boys in the backyard throwing water balloons at each other, James and I continued an ancient ritual of our people: lighting fireworks with lit cigarettes.