July 4, 1945
"That Fourth of July was special. Not only was it the 169th birthday of the United States, but on May 8th of that year, Victory in Europe had been achieved. It was with great hope that we would soon defeat the Empire of Japan.
It was also a day that would have a profound affect on my life in the years to come. I didn't realize it at the time. Of course that isn't unusual. It isn't until we are older and look back on our lives that we realize how important a certain moment was.
I had just turned 21 that summer. And even though I fancied myself an adult, I still had a lot to learn. There were so many things I wanted that summer. I wanted the war to be over, I wanted my brother to come home and I wanted to be a major league ball player. All of those things would happen soon enough, but what I wanted most of all, was to fall in love. And on that July 4, 1945, I believe I did.
~~~
Linda slapped Jeff's hand away from her cotton candy. "Go get your own," she stated.
"That stuff costs five cents. That's highway robbery," he complained.
"So you don't mind me spending my nickel?"
"You work at the plant and make more than I do. You can afford it."
"Oh you poor thing," Linda teased.
"Mom says we should always share. Are you going to be a stingy gut?" Jeff asked as he tried to grab another piece of the candy.
"Jeff!" Linda cried out as she pulled her candy away from him.
"Here Jeff, you can go buy your own," Sarah said sweetly as she held out a nickel.
"Aww, Sarah I was just giving Linda a hard time. I've got my own money," Jeff said as he closed her hand over the nickel she offered and moved her hand away.
"Linda! Yoo hoo! Up here!" Ginger called out.
The trio started up the bleachers to where Ginger was seated. Jeff stopped. "Linda, I'll wait here for Mom," he called after his sister.
She nodded in acknowledgment.
Jeff looked around at the crowd that was gathering for the event. This was the biggest one in years and he was sure it had to do with the hopes everyone had that the war would soon be over. His heart fluttered with excitement when he thought of the war being over and Hank coming home.
"Jeff?" he heard his mother ask and he turned quickly to face her.
"Were you daydreaming?" Anne asked.
Jeff flashed her a bright smile. "I was just thinking that maybe next year Hank would be here to celebrate the Fourth with us."
Anne smiled back at her youngest son. "From your lips to God's ears. Nothing would make me happier than to have my whole family back together again."
"Me too..... Linda and Sarah are up there with Ginger," Jeff said as he pointed to where they were sitting. He took his mother's elbow and helped her up the steps.
He took a seat behind and just to the side of Linda and Ginger. Sarah moved to sit next to him as the announcer began to speak, signaling the beginning of the festivities.
"Welcome Citizens of River Run to our Annual Fourth of July fireworks celebration. If you will all stand and join me in the Pledge of Allegiance followed by the National Anthem."
Everyone placed their hands over their hearts and faced the flag that was blowing in the breeze as they began to speak in unison.
"I pledge allegiance to the flag
of the United States of America.
And to the republic for which it stands.
One Nation, indivisible with liberty and justice for all."
Jeff watched as his mother wiped tears from her face as they sang the Star Spangled Banner.
When the song was finished, everyone was seated and the stadium lights were dimmed and the fireworks began.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Ginger flip her long hair back off her shoulder. The movement caused him to stop and stare at her. He was no longer interested in watching the fireworks explode in the sky. Instead he was mesmerized by they way they reflected off of her hair.
"You're mooning over her, aren't you?" he heard Sarah whisper to him.
"Hmm?" he asked absent mindedly as he saw Ginger tip back her Pepsi bottle and take a drink. He swallowed hard.
"Jeff!" Sarah whispered a little more urgently.
"What!" he said as he turned to her, angry she had disturbed him.
"When did you start liking Ginger Szabo?" she laughed.
"I don't like her," he said defensively.
"It sure doesn't look like that to me, the way you were staring at her just now," Sarah commented as she raised an eyebrow.
"Says you," Jeff said as he felt a blush creeping up his neck.
He cleared his throat. "You're missing the fireworks," he said as he pointed to the sky.
Jeff tried to sneak peaks at Ginger without Sarah seeing him, which was hard, for she was keeping an eagle eye on him.
"I think you could do better than her," she said haughtily.
"Huh? What do you mean?" Jeff wondered.
"Ginger Szabo. She's kind of flaky if you ask me."
"What do you know?" Jeff replied, annoyance evident in his voice.
A victorious smile spread across her face. "See, I knew you were mooning over her. Does she know?"
"There isn't anything to know. Gee, Sarah, you're one screwy dame. I don't know what my brother see's in you."
Sarah seemed to be hurt by his remark. "I'm sorry Sarah, I'm sure you're a swell girl and all, I just wish you would quit giving me a hard time about Ginger. I'm not sweet on her," he said, hoping he sounded convincing.
Truth was, something happened to him that night that he couldn't quite explain.
The lights went up at the stadium for intermission and the high school band took the field and played patriotic songs.
"Let's give a hand to the River Run High School Marching Band ," the announcer said.
As the applause died down, he spoke again. "Before we continue with the fireworks display I would like everyone to take a moment to remember our boys that are still fighting overseas and remember the brave souls who made the ultimate sacrifice on the altar of freedom."
The announcer read off the names of local service men who had died during the war, followed by complete silence. All that could be heard was a sniffle here and there. Jeff saw his mother make the sign of the cross and he did the same.
The lights dimmed and the fireworks erupted once again.
Ginger leaned over and said something to Linda before she got up to leave.
Jeff noticed her jovial expression was gone and a sad one had taken it's place. He got up to follow her.
"Where do you think you're going?" Sarah wanted to know.
"Nowhere. I'll be right back," he said as he started down the steps, two at a time.
"Ginger! Hey, wait up," he called after her.
"Jeff? What do you want?"
"I wanted to see if you were okay? Why are you leaving?"
She looked up at him puzzled. "Why would you care?"
He moved his shoe back and forth in the dirt. "I don't know. I just wondered what had happened is all."
"Nothing you need to concern yourself with," she said as she turned and began to walk away.
He jogged to catch up with her. "Why not? Is it because I'm Linda's little brother? You know I am 21 now," he offered.
She glanced up at him. "21 huh? Why you're all grown up," she teased.
"Tha..that's not what I meant. I just...well.. I just ...oh never mind," he stuttered as he turned to head back to the stadium.
"Jeff wait.....I'm sorry. I'm just feeling a little sorry for myself is all," Ginger admitted as she dropped her head.
"Why?" he asked as he walked back towards her.
"Because the war should be over soon and Charlie will be coming home. What if he doesn't like me any more? I've changed since he's been gone. And he's been around all those foreign women."
Jeff once again was mesmerized as he watched the fireworks illuminate her face. He had known her almost all his life. How come he hadn't noticed how pretty she was before now? "Charlie would be a complete idiot if he didn't still like you," he uttered.
"Why, Jeff Metcalf. Are you flirting with me?"
Ginger smiled.
Embarrassed beyond words that he had spoken his thoughts out loud, he dropped his head.
"You're so sweet to try and make me feel better," she said, touching his arm.
Bashfully he looked up at her and smiled.
Amazingly enough, she smiled back. "Would you mind walking me home?" she asked.
Jeff's heart skipped a beat. "Yes, I mean no, I mean yeah I'll walk you home."
Ginger placed her hand on her stomach, as if to still butterflies there. She looked up and Jeff, a serious look on her face.
"What?"
"Oh nothing. I was just wondering when you had grown so tall? ........Have you always been this cute?"
Encouraged by her words, he said. "Why Ginger Szabo, are you flirting with me?"
They both laughed.
When they reached her house, they walked up on the front porch.
"Thank you for walking me home and for being so nice to me," she said softly.
"Aww, it was nothing."
Ginger rocked back and forth on her heels.
"Would you like to sit with me for a while on the porch? We can still see the fireworks from here," she suggested.
"You don't mind?" Jeff asked, amazed.
"No, I don't mind."
Ginger sat down on the swing and Jeff sat next to her.
"What do you think it will be like when the boys come home?" she asked him.
"I don't know but I hope it's soon. I sure miss Hank and so do Sarah and Mom. Linda does too, but I think she misses Mike more," he laughed softly as he picked an imaginary piece of lint from his jeans.
"I guess when they come home we'll all get married. Sometimes it seems so unreal to think that in a year or so, we'll all be married and having kids, when it seems like only yesterday we were kids ourselves."
Jeff looked over at Ginger. "The war made us grow up fast. But it will all be over soon, and life will return to normal. I promise Ginger, everything will be just swell."
Ginger sighed. "You really are sweet," she said as she leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.
~~
"As I think back now, I believe that was the day I fell in love with Ginger. Things began to change quickly after that day. Little did we know that an atomic bomb would be dropped on Hiroshima, Japan a month later. Two days after that another bomb would be dropped on Nagasaki, Japan. On the 15th of August, Victory over Japan would be declared and the Empire of Japan would sign an official surrender on September 2 of the same year.
I didn't act on my feelings for Ginger then. I hid them deep inside and actually convinced myself a few months later that it was Sarah I was really in love with. The next fall, Hank and Charlie came home. Mike didn't. He had broken things off with Linda month's before, but she was still heartbroken when the news came about his death.
Charlie ended up marrying a girl he met in London, breaking Ginger's heart. Hank made it home and Sarah chose him over me, breaking my heart. But as luck would have it, Ginger and I were there to pick up the pieces for each other.
Nothing turned out as any of us had planned. Sarah and Hank got married, but Sarah died not long afterwards. Charlie and his wife divorced and he married Mike's widow. Linda fell in love and married years later. Mom married Al Kahn, and Hank finally fell in love again and remarried. And I married Ginger.
It's been 56 years and every Fourth of July I remember back. I remember the girl with the Pepsi bottle and the fireworks reflecting on her hair and I thank God things worked out the way they did.
I have to go now, Ginger's calling me. It's almost time for the fireworks display and I promised my best gal, I would take her to the event.
By the way. I still love to watch those fireworks
reflect on her hair."
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