A Colonial Fourth of July

Everybody celebrates the Fourth of July in a different way. Some people organize barbeques and cookouts and celebrate the founding of our country over a good burger or hot dog. Others may light some sparklers (in a state that actually deems them legal of course). And others may travel hundreds of miles, just for that famous fireworks display.

For me, my Fourth of July ended up being spent as the latter, going to watch fireworks, but it also came with the added benefit of being able to teach someone the meaning behind why Americans celebrate the Fourth of July.

For me, the days leading up to the Fourth of July were simply boring. While others were going out to the local store and getting charcoal and burgers, I was rummaging around at home with nothing to do, lamenting that my Fourth of July would be spent alone, since my parents were off to a wedding, probably in a dark corner of my house watching reruns of Burn Notice. (Though trust me, that wasn’t that bad of an idea the time.)

But that’s when I noticed that one of our family friends, Mr. Kikuchi was also going to be spending his Fourth of July at home too. Of course, he would also be pent up in a dark corner, but probably watching the World Cup instead.

You see, Mr. Kikuchi is an international employee. An individual who, in order to help a multi-national company better transition to working in America, left his family in Japan to work here for a number of years.

So that’s when I decided that we should go see the fireworks display around town for the Fourth of July, but not just any fireworks display, the Fourth of July fireworks display in Williamsburg, the town that cultivated the minds of the likes of Thomas Jefferson and the ideas that serves as the inspiration for the Fourth of July even until today.

Just one little…er…catch. As Mr. Kikuchi revealed to me on the hour and a half drive to Williamsburg from Richmond, history wasn’t exactly his strong point. And in actuality, history, and world history more specifically, was one of the fields that he disliked the most in primary school. Well, this was going to be a little harder than expected.

In the end, it all worked out okay. As we arrived in Williamsburg and started to tour the historic College of William and Mary and Colonial Williamsburg, it gradually turned out that Mr. Kikuchi’s disinterest in history dissipated with each turn.

Williamsburg seems to have that magical effect on those who visit it. Perhaps it is witnessing the history physically and hearing about the significance of each brick on the Sunken Gardens and each footstep in the colonial capital that makes visiting Williamsburg, especially during a time of great significance as the Fourth of July, that much more meaningful.

Even me, as a tour guide of sorts, felt like I was doing some good. Here was a guy, straight out of Japan, who had never had an interest in American history at all, yet here I was, explaining how the Wren Building housed rooms for thesis defenses and how the governor’s mansion for a number of years used to be the center of the universe for Virginians and he was taking in every moment of it. It made me, as a Williamsburg resident for the past three years all worth it.

And of course, there was the fireworks, oh the fireworks. Usually, the only time I even glance at fireworks in Williamsburg is during the Grand Illumination ceremonies during Christmas. Even then, the fireworks, which come up somewhere behind the Governor’s Palace, are far away and often not too major a sight to behold. This time though, the fireworks came from the opposite ends, and it felt like they were literally right over us.

Actually, that’s an understatement. They were right over us. So much so that the shrapnel from some of them were landing a couple feet away around us. Dangerous, I know, but awesome to watch, and much more spectacular. It seemed like these fireworks were also in more supply for the Fourth of July. Guess it’s just a more festive season.

Regardless, when we finally arrived back in Richmond, it felt like “you learn a new thing every day” took on a whole new meaning for the both of us.