It was a sweltering hot day here in the north country. The sun was up high and it was seathing hot.
It was the Fourth of July. After spending 45 minutes finding a parking space and standing in the hot sun watching the parade, we had finally made it to the spot I wanted to be in for the fireworks later that evening at The Monument where the cities fireworks are held. It's a tall monument with an eagle perched atop. It was erected in memory of the many soldiers that had died there when it was a battlefield during the Revolutionary War.

Once I had set up my little hibatchi to grill burgers and hot dogs, and the cooler beside my blanket I had brought, I was sweating profusely. I was glad to finally sit down. I stretched my legs out straight in front of me and crossed them. I had my arms stretched back and my head lain back, simply to meditate in the moment. The kids were off enjoying the shows ,events, games, rides and treats. So it was very peaceful.

No time at all had passed and I was still sweating heavily. Feeling finally alone I reached over to the cooler next to me and reached into it and took out an ice cube. Afterall I was just melting like ice cream there in the hot sun.

I took the ice cube and rubbed it on my neck, up around my ears and across my fore head. The ice was freezing and I have to admit, the closest to bliss I had been in a long time.

As the ice cube got smaller I tossed it into the grass to the opposite side of me. I reached back into the cooler and grabbed another ice cube.. This time I started rubbing the ice cube left and right, downward from my neck. "Bliss again", I thought to myself. I worked my way downward along the neckline edge of my tank top, repeating the same right to left gesture. When the second cube got small I again tossed it into the grass. As I moved to resume my previously relaxed position I stretched out my legs and before I leaned backward I looked over to my side. There was another group of people there and next to me sat a man who seemed to be in awe of what he'd just seen me do. Flustered, I responded to his look and said to him, "cut a girl some slack". Suddenly, I was covered in warm beer and saliva.

He immediately jumped up and apologized over and over again as he attempted to paper-towel blot me dry. All the while repetitively aplologizing.

After I was dried and all the paper towel discarded, he politely offered me a beer. I explained to him that I was an alcoholic, but I was going to accept it. I then took it and placed on my chest turned to him and smiled and resumed my before attempted position. We both got a giggle out of it.

He told me he was from Vermont and just wanted to jump the lake for the holiday of it all. I told him about us being on the battleground and told him the history behind The Monument and how I believe that the soldiers spirits were with us there for the celebration. We shared some more laughs and parted ways when the fireworks were over. The fireworks show was particularly nice that year.

I was going through some photo's with a friend of this past sumers fireworks show at the Monument, and in the picture all around and throughout the crowd, were orbs. The soldiers I mentioned earlier watching perhaps? Amazing.

Tommi Cordial