3--2-1 .

[VANDOO]

WE ALL ENJOYED OUR FIRECRACKERS/ FIREWORKS. THE THREE MOST READILY AVAILABLE IN MY EARLY YEARS WERE THE CHERRY BOMB, M-80 AND SILVER SALUTE THEN THEY WERE BANNED. ALL THREE OF THEM HAD THE GREEN WATERPROOF FUSSES AND WOULD EXPLODE UNDER WATER. THE FIRST ONE I REMEMBERED BEING BANNED WAS THE GIANT AND AFTER THAT THE TORPEDO ( A CHERRY BOMB SIZED BALL THAT EXPLODED WHEN THROWN AGAINST SOMETHING. IT WAS THE MOST DANGEROUS AS IT COULD GO OFF ACCIDENTALLY BY SITTING ON IT OR BUMPING AGAINST SOMETHING WHILE IT WAS IN A SACK OR POCKET. THE BABY GIANT WAS BANNED NEXT AND LATER THE CHERRY BOMBS AND THE M-80. WE GREW UP BLOWING UP STUMPS AND BIG ROCKS WITH DYNAMITE SO FIRECRACKERS JUST SEEMED LIKE TOYS TO US BUT WE STILL KNEW WHAT THEY COULD DO SO WERE CAREFUL AND NO ONE EVER GOT SERIOUSLY HURT.
WHILE DRIVING AROUND IN OZ IN THE 1980'S I USED TO LISTEN TO JOHN WILLIAMSON AND ONE OF HIS SONGS WAS "CRACKER NIGHT" THIS REMINDED ME OF THAT.