A candle burned in the living room. Casted shadows on the cream colored walls. The flame danced just a bit. Wax dripped down the sides making a pool of orange on the plate below.

Outside utility crews worked into the night up and down Highway 10. Electricity had been out for hours. People called and cursed the company. Air conditioners running high was the cause they said. Summer’s heat had come.

The trailer park was pitch black. Sun didn’t come up for hours. Just voices of people outside waiting. Waiting for the miracle of light. They spoke loudly about a number of things; the weather, sports, news from this past year at the high school, Bobby and Cindy’s daughter got pregnant.

Old man peeked through the blinds and lit a cigarette. Went and grabbed an Old Style from the cold black hole. Ice was beginning to melt in the freezer. Water dripped on the linoleum floor. He grabbed towels and placed them in front of the refrigerator. Soon they’d be soppin’ wet.

Outside a loud boom went off. Kids had grabbed some fireworks parents bought for the 4th of July. Bright colors lit up the sky. Red, blue, yellow, green, all were mesmerizing the trailer park crowd. The old man sat on his front stoop and looked on.

Everybody was getting along. A party had started. Some kid from down the street brought his boom box and played heavy metal songs on it. Guys in sleeveless tee-shirts brought out cases of cold beer in coolers. Girls in tight shorts danced and carried-on. Some moms in robes joined the festivities. Smoking cigarettes and cursing Com Ed. But, in all truth, they were glad the lights were out. More fireworks went off. More beer was drunk.

And then, like magic as the sun came up, lights began to come on throughout the park. Street lights glowed, tin trailers shined. The old man yawned. Another day had begun.