Fireworks and Climaxes

Status: 3 Bowls of Lucky Charms Happy

What's playing on Pandora? LITTLE SUZY by Tesla

Is it possible for something to be TOO spectacular?

The question popped into my head this past 4th of July (hope yours was fun) as I was witness to the most dazzling, close-up displays of fireworks I have ever seen in my life. I got a buddy who lives right on the water in Milford, CT--how he acquired this gem is still a mystery to me--but it might as well be in Nantucket, same feel. Each of his neighbors are wicked rich, and every year they try to outdo each other with their fireworks displays, much to everybody's delight, and these displays folks, are of the professional grade. No different than what the towns and cities use, in fact, the official town's display was going off simultaneously, adding its own colors to the summer night over the backdrop of the ocean.

Beautiful I tell ya.

If the night had ended right there, I would still be telling you about the most awesome fireworks I'd ever seen, five at the same time for forty-five minutes. But that was not the end of the evening. Nope, not by a medium shot, my buddy's neighbor was waiting for everybody to blow their load so he could unleash his masterpiece. Mwa ha ha ha...

And guess where this masterpiece was? Yupskies, RIGHT next to all of us. It was so close several times I 'hit the deck' and came up brandishing a Nerf battle-ax. Alright, maybe I would have done that anyway, but it was crazy loud, like a Civil War artillery battle going on around us. The sunbursts and starbursts and glittery willowtrees (you know which ones I'm talking about, right?) that lit up the sky were so stupendous that my mind went numb; I mean they were right there.

I looked around at everybody else, and at first all I saw was awe and wonder, but after another forty minutes piled onto the already forty-five minutes of the pregame show, it got to the point where I was like, 'alright already, grand finale so I can think again'.

Which got me thinking...that happens in books and movies all the time. (why's it always gotta come back to the craft, Vera?) An author or director can actually undo the effect they wish to evoke simply by going overboard.

Think about it, investing and expending time, energy, and resources to a cause that sabotages the story effect desired. I know I've been guilty of this, perhaps that's why I'm bringing it up. Of course, if there were ever something to go overboard about, spectacularness is probably a good way to go, (the very fact that I'm blogging about it says a little something) but be that as it may, it is difficult to taste the subtleties of a Sancerre when you've been drinking sour apple martinis all night. Unless of course getting lit is the effect desired, then...pound away.

No-whaddamean?

Steve out.