In my earliest years, my favorite fireworks were those that exploded in a burst of gold, each ray ending in a lime green, nautilus-shaped squiggle that gave off a loud boom at the end. These reminded me of somersaults -- tumbling in the grass on a summer evening -- and I promptly named them booming crackers. Today, the phrase still speaks to me of exuberance and joy.
Copyright 2008 Deborah L. Dobson. All rights reserved.