Behind the scenes # 13 - Be careful

“Do you have the money with you?” “Yes. I have it.” He takes the money and opens his bag.

I glance over my shoulder and quickly stuff the wrapped blocks into my black sports bag.

Most of my neighbours were two or three years older than I was. Being the youngest, I quickly moved up the food chain—from sparklers to firecrackers, thunder shockers turned upside down, and Roman candles thrown into a circle to create a kind of Russian roulette effect: never knowing which direction the firework explosions would go. And then the final level, as described above, illegal fireworks… 

Because I was one of the youngest in the neighbourhood, everyone treated me carefully. And because I saw that nothing ever went wrong with them … I became a lot less careful myself. 

3 2 1 Midnight. Champagne glasses raise— quickly kissing all my aunts before I run outside. Once all the big fireworks from my uncles have lit up the sky, I head out again—setting off fireworks with friends deep into the night. At fourteen, showing off is almost mandatory. I light a thunder shock. Just before I walk away—BANG.

The Thunder shocker exploded hard against my cheek, just 2 centimetres below my eye. AAAH, that burns! I ran back home, where—luckily—a cold towel was enough. Right now, with the realization, tears fill my eyes, not from pain, but from gratitude that it ended the way it did.

Usually, a thunder shock shoots out a ball, and that ball explodes within two seconds. For some reason—(Thank god)—that ball never detonated. Whether it was a defect (how small are those odds?) or whether my cheek knocked it away, I’ll never know. What I do know is that I’m eternally grateful it didn’t end badly.

Even though fireworks gave me a thrill at first, I’m cured for life. The risk never comes close to the reward—one loud bang for a few seconds of adrenaline?

No matter how careful you think you are, most accidents are caused by someone else.

For your safety, for others, and for the animals — why not keep the average €120 spent on fireworks in your pocket? Instead, I can recommend a fantastic Chinese restaurant: King Wah.

You won’t regret it.

Wishing everyone a wonderful New Year’s Eve!