Bin Bonfire Night

Forgive me, but I need to get this off my chest. I promise that I will be back on topic on Sunday so please bear with me.

Tonight is the worst night in the UK, Guy Fawkes Night or Bonfire Night.

I despise this night with a burning passion hotter than the fireworks themselves.

In fairness, it isn’t the holiday itself I hate, it is the fireworks. In my area, folks keep setting off fireworks all year round. Normally, it isn’t too bad, once a week randomly at night.

However, it kicks into high gear around mid-October until about min January. Fireworks are set off almost every night. For crying out loud, yesterday someone set a few off during the day near my work.

I’m autistic, the sound always sets me off. It also scares my two cats. I stay in and try to drown out the explosions on the 5th every year.

Maybe this is a UK thing, but I think another reason I fear fireworks is thanks to a traumatic video they made us watch when I was about 12. One of those PSA type videos, we do not sugar coat those here.

Long story short, idiot kids threw a lit firework into a disposable chute, an innocent kid goes to throw out the trash and the firework goes off in his face, killing him.

This wasn’t animated, it was a reenactment of how that kid died in real life due to idiots with a firework. Ever since then, my discomfort around fireworks grew into a full-on fear.

Now, I am in full support of fireworks shows. I trust trained professionals with pyrotechnics. It is a much safer alternative than doing it yourself and can be a great family event. That is all well and good.

However, I hate that here anyone over 18 can buy fireworks. Why? Why can we buy explosives this easily? Frankly, only trained professionals should be able to purchase them.

These aren’t toys, people can get hurt or worse. Animals too, hedgehogs get burned alive every year thanks to bonfires. Pets can get hit with fireworks or stressed out by the sound. I know my two cats do.

I am dreading tonight. Since shows have been cancelled I fear that more people are going to try and do their own shows, meaning even more fireworks. I am going to keep my cats in tonight, hopefully by distracting them I will also distract myself.

Stay safe tonight.