As a native of Great Britain living in Ohio, I’m often asked around this time of year if I celebrate Independence Day.
I do, and in fact it just so happens that my very first visit to the U.S. in 1999 started at a Fourth of July party.
It was a hot summer day in Atlanta and I was ready to celebrate America’s birthday, but I soon realized I had a particular role to play at the party. I was representing the losing team.
“Hey, we kicked your ass!” someone said as he ruffled my hair. I gamely laughed along but I found it peculiar. I’ve since noticed that when backed into such a corner, British ex-pats have a tendency to play up to their assigned role and make remarks about “troublesome colonials.”
Up until that moment I’d never really thought about it as “us” versus “them.” If I thought about the American Revolution at all it was in terms of two groups of British people fighting, the “home” and “away” crowd. And I like to think if I’d been around at the time I’d have been on the side of the “away” crowd.
In Britain itself, there is a distinct lack of interest in this topic. When I later told someone back home I’d been at an American Independence Day party she (whose name I won’t reveal) asked in all earnestness – and I am not making this up – “so who is it they’re celebrating independence from?”
She was astonished to find that Britain had ever had anything to do with America at all. Quite why she thought the populace of America speak English is anyone’s guess.
At the party, there was something else to add to the slightly surreal feel, as by a curious coincidence there was another Steve Russell in attendance. I had never met a fellow Steve Russell before and the effect was disorienting. When we found ourselves together he stuck his hand out and said “Hi, Steve Russell.”
“That’s right,” I replied, and we shook hands with equally confused looks on our faces.
Given that this happened to me the first time I set foot on American soil I might be forgiven for assuming it would happen everywhere I went. I was prepared to meet an army of Steve Russells, but the situation has never been repeated.
If there are other Steve Russells in Richland County I want to hear about it.
Since this was a Fourth of July party, someone had naturally brought fireworks and proceeded to set them off on the front lawn. As we were within city limits this was technically illegal, but I was oblivious to that fact.
Fireworks, for whatever reason, are not hampered by much restriction in Britain. Handguns? Very difficult to get hold of and use. Fireworks? No problem.
Back home any 16-year-old could buy them from the corner shop and set them off in his backyard.
But not in Atlanta. This was against the law and the cops were soon banging on the door. I was delighted. Having just arrived in the country it all felt very dream-like and this was just part of the show. American police shouting at me, just like in the movies – I loved it!
We were marched outside and lined up on the sidewalk.
“Who’s got the fireworks?” one of the cops demanded. Blank looks on our part. “Come on! Who’s got the fireworks?”
“No-one,” one of us replied, lamely. “We set them all off.”
I suddenly felt a slight note of panic. First in line on the sidewalk were myself and the other Steve Russell. It seemed as if the police might be about to ask for our names, and I felt sure if the first two people in line both replied “Steve Russell” it would spell disaster.
Luckily, my American girlfriend (now wife) was wearing cowboy boots and used this as evidence that she had recently arrived from Texas, where the regulations regarding fireworks were a little more lax.
This seemed to satisfy the cops – or maybe they just got bored with us. In any case, they left without any more fuss.
Looking back, they should have just lined us up and had us sing the national anthem. I’ve always preferred the American national anthem to the British one, which in all honesty is something of a dirge. It’s slow and dreary and the words are all about how wonderful the Queen is.
Now I live in the U.S., it strikes me as odd that “My Country ‘Tis of Thee” follows the same tune as “God Save the Queen.” You’d think that would be the last tune an American patriotic song would want to use.
With regards to Fourth of July celebrations, my personal tradition of having the police arrive has not been kept up, but as I like to say, each year brings fresh new opportunities. Have a very happy Fourth, folks: check out some of the local events, and try to stay out of trouble.
Holiday Events
Mansfield Motor Speedway, Sunday July 2, Freedom Fest at 1 p.m. with music from Steel Ivory, “Freedom 50” racing from 4 p.m.
Pickle Run Festival, Heise Park, Galion, Sunday July 2. Car show 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Disc Golf Tournament from 10 a.m., fireworks at dusk.
Bucyrus Kiwanis Fireworks, Monday July 3, dusk at Crawford County Fairgrounds.
Pastoral in the Park, Tuesday July 4, Bicentennial Park, Lexington. 10:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. Free concert and fun contests. Parade from Western Elementary School to the park at 10:30 p.m.
