Live on the edge, it's ok.

Yesterday was America's birthday- one of my favorite holidays. I love fireworks. They are mystical and pretty. I am both terrified and turned on by fire, so this holiday was really designed with me in mind.

We started out the evening by going to Les Bougeouis to listen to some live music, eat bbq, and look at the Missouri river. It was nice, but I was quiet because I had nothing to say. I wasn't in the mood to make fake banter. So people kept looking at me and asking me "what's wrong? You're not peppy." That was driving me wild- and not in a good way. But after I snapped and yelled "You're making me not ok!" they sort of backed off.

After that, we all went to Ameena's apartment to pick up my fireworks and to meet up with Ben and Anthony. Then we went to Cooper's Landing to shoot them off. Sadly it started raining when we got there, so Anthony thought it'd be a good idea to go to some elementary school's parking lot to shoot them off (it wasn't raining inside Columbia, C Landing is out of the county, I think).

We roll up to the lot, to see a sign that had been posted by the police, saying that shooting fireworks was prohibited. 

"Damn, now I don't know what to do."- Anthony

"What do you mean?"- me

"We can't shoot them here, I don't know what to do."

"Why can't we do it here?"

"The sign, Jess, the sign."

"It's just a sign, fuck it."

"No, that sign is enforceable."

I muttered, "I guess it's going to arrest you?" he didn't hear, I don' think.

I was shocked that everyone cared about the dumb sign. It's just a sign. I told them that if- and it was a big "if"- we got caught, they would only take our fireworks and not lock us up. As I was the only one in that car who had bought fireworks, I was the only one who had something to fear. And I wasn't so no one else should have been.

I was genuinely surprised by the fear that a measly sign can elicit. If you live a safe life, chances are that you'll live an unfulfilled life. I like my friends a lot, don't get me wrong, but sometimes it's fun to break the rules. It's boring always having to be a "good" person or do the "right" thing. 

I'm also surprised by how many people are afraid to try to get drinks when they're underage. If you use your real ID, you won't get in trouble. Of course, if the cops raided and busted you with a drink you would, but that's what makes it fun. It's fun to see if the waiter card's you and if he does, it's cool to see if he'll actually look at your birthdate or not.

I wasn't always so good at it. I once ordered a drink, and when the waitress asked for my ID I giggled uncomfortably and said "oh, I'm sorry, I tried to trick you, I didn't really think you'd ask, I'll just have a water, I'm so sorry."

But other nights, I just strolled up to a bar and asked for a drink and didn't get carded. I've even gone to the bar with a big stamp on my hand for being underage and still have them serve me. I even did that once when the police were around, pulling people out. That may not have been my smartest moment, but it was one of my most thrilling.

Sadly, now that I'm 21, I can't get this rush anymore. So now I try to get it by accumulating a lot of unpaid parking tickets. 

Anyway, we ended up finding some random street around a new subdivision to shoot them off at. It was fun and secluded. I had a great time.

What I'm saying is, it's fun to live on the edge- even if that means ignoring a stupid, irrelevant, unintimidating sign.