"The Shot Heard Around Hull Avenue"

The day was July 4, 1976, our country's BiCentennial.  Bill and I were visiting the Mosses in Lewisburg, Tenn. where it seems to be within the law to purchase and discharge fireworks.  After a day of watching the yatchs and vessels parade in New York City, we all went to "get us some fireworks". 
After dinner that evening, we (the young folks) went into Ford and Robby's front yard and began our fireworks display.  Seems everyone on the street had the same idea, and soon a competition grew as to which of us had the best  fireworks.  One by one, each family shot some of theirs off.  Applause from the other neighbors rose in the night air with each exibition.  Well, here goes Fordy, he did not want to be outdone by ANY of the other neighbors, so he went and got his "secret" black powder (I dont know, and dont want to know where he obtained the secret powder).   He begins by filling a little film cannister with the powder and sticking a little fuse out the end.  I remember  hearing him say "Now watch this, this will show them all".  He lit the fuse and BOOM, the biggest explosion I ever heard.  After, our eyes got their corrected vision back, and our ears settled down, all was dark.  Seems that his "secret" firework was so bright that it knocked out all the street lights for a few minutes.  When the lights came back on..............Ford Moss' split rail fence post was totally knocked out of the ground.  Yes, I guess  you could say that the Moss' won that competition that July 4th.  Oh, yea, did I forget to say that Fordy and Bill put ME up to going into the house and telling Ford that he would have to fix his fence the next day?? 

Peggy Almond
Charlotte NC

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