There was this 4th of July in Swampscott where my family had this block party. I guess they were arrogant things to have, because back then we were just a rich family throwing a party. The party started at 5ish, and no one was there yet.

My brother and I were excited to put the street blockers out. We probably put them out too early, but anyway, we stood guard by them. Danny took the intersection of Millet Road and Bayview Drive, and I took the part of Bayview Drive just in front of the Perella's house. Some guy in a Saab or something drove up to the barrier and started trying to move it, but no one was getting past me. I (a probably overweight 10 year old or something) yelled at the guy, something like "You can't come here." And the guy was like "Ahh maaaahn" (Raphael voice...shut up).

So he drove away. These parties were fucking huge. So many people came. My dad hired this band "1 Thin Dime." They came two years in a row. I don't remember them.

One of the two years that we had this party this taxi or something tried to get through the block party. I remember my dad acted all tough and totally threatened the taxi driver for "ruining the party." As the taxi did a three point turn and backed away I remember my dad saying in a really loud voice "I HAVE YOUR LICENSE NUMBER." Way to go, S. Michael.

I got my blue bike at one of those parties. It was my "cousin" Jeff's, and I ran down to my basement while the party was going on and I saw this blue bike. I took it out, riding amongst all the people on the street...and I fell and scraped everything. Good stuff though.

I remember using my ancient computer, too, with the Print Shop, to create the invitations for those parties.

Then there was the fireworks, of course. One year I just sat on the rocks in front of my house, and that's when I first noticed how the fireworks made everything vibrate when they exploded, and it was nice to feel the pounding in my ribcage, (PLEASE EXCUSE EMO-LIKE LINE APPROACHING) something off rythym to my heart. (See? I'm serious though, I really compared the explosions to my heartbeat. I wasn't wearing emo-glasses though. Probably just some short shorts and a purple t-shirt...)

And another year they put the fireworks barge way too close to shore, and the fire works went off RIGHT ABOVE OUR HEADS. We sat on Anthony's lawn and watched them, and it was so great...until the ashes started raining down on us. I remember one still-burning piece landed in my mom's cousin's hair...that was nice.

I kind of miss the parties, as yuppie-ish as they might seem.