i was the only one on the highway tonight. everyone else in the city was watching fireworks at one place or another. the result of which was a sulphuric haze surrounding my car, as i drove to a friends house with a bottle of comfort wine and box of mike and ikes. the sky was speckled with colors, exploding memoirs of our country’s freedom. and all i could think about was that i had said goodbye to way too many people this weekend. next year, i will not be home on the 4th of july.