I am not generally a fan of the 4th of July. It's another loud drunk holiday where people emerge from wherever they're kept and make a mess of things. 

All the local small-town parades have been cancelled. All the fireworks displays but for one as well. The locals in one town organized their own parade down a tertiary state highway. I'll be interested to hear how it went.

When i left town today, heading north to some quiet, it was hopping. There were lines at all the gas stations. Cars full of coolers, ice, beer, a large proportion of cut-off denim shorts. I don't know where they were all going. The road north was light on traffic. Everyone must have gone south to the lake.

The governor issued a statement. Asked people to finally start wearing masks and stop blaming the tourists for everything. People don't wear masks here except in Costco where they have to; they're willing to make the sacrifice for the bargains. 

I don't wear a mask in the stores here most of the time either. I tried at first. It did not feel safe. Turns out I'm more afraid of my countrymen than coronavirus. 

My stepfather has gone to the store once by himself since this whole thing started. He wore a mask. Said he didn't feel safe either. Said some guy "smirked" at him. He hasn't gone to the store by himself since. He will very likely die if he gets it. He checks all the boxes. 

It's a quarter after ten as i write this. The sky is getting dark and i can hear the fireworks starting. Pops and bangs from the West the East the South. They'll go late but not until dawn. 

I wonder how many children have agreed to forgo big birthday celebrations this year? It's a shame the country couldn't.