4th July Party at Harbor Park

[Blackburn 24]

Date: July 4th.  Meet up at 7pm by the Civil War Monument.  Bring your own food and beer.

Expected Weather: Sunny with very little clouds, temperature in the low 90s, humid, sundown at 9pm

Fireworks show starts off at 9:15pm

[E. Hawke]

*It's tough to find parking for the park at this hour, with everyone wanting to be here for the show, but I somehow manage to get lucky as I find a spot to parallel park into on Bay Street.  As I exit my Chevy SS wearing my sunglasses, tennis shoes, and a white over the shoulder mini sundress a blast of hot air hits me making me realize how good my car's AC is.  Grabbing my purse and slinging it over my shoulder I put Savo on his leash and lead him out of the car.  Shutting the door I head to the trunk where I grab my folding chair and a cooler out of it.  Closing the trunk up I lock up my car and proceed to enter the park with my things and my dog.*

[Z. Russo]

*I park my Expedition on Bay street. As I step out a blast of hot air hits me, Maybe black isnt the best thing to wear today. I wipe the condensation from my sunglasses with my shirt and grab the small bag of charcoal from the trunk as well as the rolling cooler stocked with burgers I intend to grill up and a lawn chair. I grab the 2 6 packs of local beer. After checking the text about where to meet. I roll my cooler over to the civil war memorial*

[E. Hawke]

*Arriving at the Civil War Monument with my stuff for a late night picnic I see the Captain is already showing up to the meet up spot.  No one else is here yet so I hope we're not the only ones coming to this.  That would be awkward.  Well, it's still kind of early so it's not time to call this off yet.  Taking off my sunglasses I place them so the clip off my sundress's collar and give Russo a nod hello.*

'Evening Capt, looks like we're the first to arrive here'

*Setting down my stuff for a temporary moment of not needing to hold on to them, unsure if we're going to relocate, I take a seat on my cooler and wait for others.*

[Z. Russo]

'Evening Capt, looks like we're the first to arrive here'

*Hawke says as I set my stuff down.*

'So it seems, I wonder who else is coming.'

*Looking down at her border collie.*

'Beautiful dog whats his name'

[E. Hawke]

'His name is Savo'

*Holding on to my dog's leash I allow him to wander over to Russo.  The dog sniffs at the Captain a few times before returning back to me by my cooler.*

'No idea on who else is coming but it looks like a nice evening for fireworks.'

[Z. Russo]

*I knell down and pet Savo.*

'Hopefully its more then just us.'

'When did you move to Shiloh?'

[E. Hawke]

'Well that was shortly after my transfer down here was accepted so... spring of last year.  A little over a year ago.'

[Z. Russo]

'Could have sworn you were around longer. But this park used to be one of the worst places in the county. Back in the 90s this was basically an open air drug market. Fort Shannon had its own police department until 1997. After we took over it took us years to get this park cleaned up. I can't tell you how many shootings, stabbings and overdoses we had here back in the day. I think for a while the DEA had this park listed as an open air drug market'

[E. Hawke]

'Yeah, I had heard about that.  Legend has it you can still find used syringes from that era in this park from time to time.  Well that's according to the hotdog vendors around here.'

[Z. Russo]

*I let out a chuckle as I set up my lawn chair near the grill area I quickly scan the area and see the grove of trees next to the baseball field.*

'I have a special relationship with these trees. One night in August of 02 or 03 it was dead quiet, nothing going on and it was hot as balls. I was a new sergeant detailed out to the park security unit for the summer. I had these two deputies that would always knock out in the middle of the ball field. So I wanted to catch them and make a point. You know I was a new sergeant and wanted to go dicks out. So I park my car on the other side of the trees and snuck through. I got to the other side crouched down and moved toward the window. When I got to the door Both of them got out of the car and drew on me. I almost got shot for trying to make a point.'

[E. Hawke]

*Listening to the Captain's story I nod along so as to let him know that I am listening.  Still though, I honestly don't know how to exactly respond to the story.  What am I suppose to say really?  Sounds like he had some fun in the early 2000s.*

'Well, sounds like you learned something yourself with that one.  Any idea on why we're meeting up next to the Civil War Monument?  Is this the best place to see the fireworks in the park?'

[D. Wilson]

*I pull up to the park, parking my SUV and getting out. Mary and my two youngest kids - Elizabeth and Nathaniel - hop out as I start grabbing the cooler we had brought with us from the cargo area. I hand Nathaniel the bag of charcoal and start pulling the cooler along the path as we walk towards the monument. Nathaniel walks along next to me, chattering away about the park and about meeting some of the people I worked with. Since moving to Headquarters, I hadn't introduced any of my kids to my coworkers. At Ladder 32, everyone had known my kids and my kids had known all the firemen I worked with. Elizabeth was being a more typical teenager, face buried in her phone as she trailed along behind us. As we approach the monument, I see only two people standing there. They both looked familiar, but they weren't firemen. Deputies, maybe. That's right. The captain, and one of the deputies we saw frequently.*

'Hey there. Dave Wilson, FD. You two are deputies, right? Hm..Captain Russo, I think? And I'm sorry, but I don't know your name,' *I say, looking over to Evelyn.*

[Z. Russo]

*I see one of the fire guys walk up to us, Hes been a fixture around since I first got on.*

'Hey there. Dave Wilson, FD. You two are deputies, right? Hm..Captain Russo, I think? And I'm sorry, but I don't know your name,'

'Yep and what about you Lieutenant or captain right?'

*I ask the fire guy since hes been around as long as me he has to be an officer of some sort. I extend my hand*

'The rest of my family should be here in a few minutes. The wife sits on the council for special education and she and the kids were at a benefit softball game in Arcadia'

[E. Hawke]

*As someone arrives and introduces himself I give him a nod hello and return introductions when he says he doesn't know me.*

'Evelyn Hawke.  It's just me and my dog.'

[D. Wilson]

*I smile as Captain Russo asks if I'm a lieutenant or a captain.*

'Ah, no sir. Just Fireman Dave. Well, and union rep. I've been a backseat fireman for twenty-seven years now and I'd like to stay right where I'm at. I enjoy it.'

*I nod as he mentions the rest of his family and realize I haven't introduced the wife and kids. After Evelyn introduces herself, I start in on my family.*

'Right. This is my beautiful wife, Mary,' *I say, as I smile at her.* 'And these are my two youngest, Elizabeth and Nathaniel. Two out of three left in the house.'

[Z. Russo]

'Right. This is my beautiful wife, Mary,' *I say, as I smile at her.* 'And these are my two youngest, Elizabeth and Nathaniel. Two out of three left in the house.'

*I think I remember this guy, I think I remember him from a funeral a few years ago.*

'I think we may have met at a funeral a few years ago for a firefighter. I think I was the one that organized the escort on that one.'

[D. Wilson]

*My face falls slightly as Russo tells me where he remembers me from. That's right. He was there for the escort.*

'Ah, uh, hm. Yes sir. We met at my boy's funeral two years ago. He was killed on the job.'

*I awkwardly stand there, not very sure what to say now. The captain had definitely put his foot in his mouth and turned this awkward.*

[E. Herz]

*I find a place to park and then walk down to the park, seeing a few people already there. I find a place to set my stuff down then head over to see Russo, seeing him talking to someone I don't recognize. I walk up to both of them but stay quiet, though I'm sure Zach can see me. I probably could have gone to say hi to other people first, but I made a point to say hi to him first. I catch the tail end of the guys sentence, something about someone being killed on the job, it puts a little bit of a frown on my face, but I manage to smile anyway as I wait for their conversation finish.*

[J. William]

*id decided to come with Alyssa To the Fourth of July adopted this cute German Shepard she didn’t tell me that we got a German Shepard I am kinda mad at her anyways I’d come with my cigar in my mouth and cooler while Alysaa has the dog on the leased look at my phone to where to meet up and I see everyone well this gonna be fun night and plus might being propose to Alysaa*

“howdy everyone”

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 15, 2020 by Aidan721

[Z. Russo]

'Ah, uh, hm. Yes sir. We met at my boy's funeral two years ago. He was killed on the job.'

*Fuck*

'Erm, Sorry to hear that. I didn't know...'

*Stumbling for words Ellie comes up to me.*

'Hey Ellie, This is Dave from the fire department.'

[E. Hawke]

*Shortly after Wilson arrives Herz shows up followed by Williams and his girl.  Waving a hello to them both I get up from my cooler and grab a Corona from inside it.  Popping the bottle open I take a sip.*

[D. Wilson]

*I nod as Russo stumbles over his words, trying to apologize.*

'It's alright. It happens.'

*As Russo introduces me to the young girl that walked up, I realize she looks familiar. I hesitate for a moment before realizing who her dad was.*

'Good to meet you, Elle. I'm Dave. Must be new on the force? Can't be that old. I remember your dad; he was a great cop. You'll be one of the best if you're anything like him. And I'm sure you are.'

[A. Blackburn]

*It's a nice evening to come to the park for fireworks with coworkers and it's a nice night to finally go out on a drive with my 63 Vette.  As I come to a stop after finding an open parking space I shut off the V8 engine and open the driver's door.  Shutting the door behind me as I exit the vehicle I head around back and open up the trunk.  Pulling out a cooler I shut the trunk and lock up the car before I leave it.  As I leave I notice a monstrosity of vehicle and shake my head.  Can't tell if it's a Dodge or a Chevy.  It looks like a Dodge but it's markings says Camaro.  Oh well, not my problem I think to myself as I head on in to the park.  As I get close to the Civil War Monument I see others are already there.*

'Hey Capt. on my way here I swear I saw a car with identity issues.  Swear I didn't know Dodge made Camaros'

[Z. Russo]

*Blackburn walks up to me holding a cooler.*

'Whats up Blackburn?'

'Hey Capt. on my way here I swear I saw a car with identity issues.  Swear I didn't know Dodge made Camaros'

'Probably just some idiot with too much time on his hands put dodge logos on his camaro. Either way they both suck. I've always been a ford guy. But if it looks sketch I can make a call to auto crimes and have them take a ride by.'

*Before giving him a chance to answer. Because I don't want to deal with work stuff*

'You got the rest of the family coming?'