We’re in Kansas City, MO, preparing to celebrate the 225th birthday of the United States of America. Thad Johansen and several of his friends are fairly new to this country, having recently become naturalized citizens. They want to express their patriotism in some grand manner.

Thad remembers seeing important U.S. holidays celebrated on television showing major cities with gigantic fireworks displays. Thad’s friends agree. That’s what to do.

Thad and his buddies have planned this celebration for a long time. One of the group recently returned from a Florida vacation and on the way home saw dozens of huge signs advertising fireworks of all kinds at low prices.

One of Thad’s buddies hauls out of his basement a huge carton of fireworks. Roman candles, rockets, cherry bombs, T-bombs, finger-ladies - you name it and it’s in the box.

Shortly after dark the fireworks extravaganza begins. The neighborhood sky lights up, just like on television. There is one small problem. Remember, we’re in Kansas City. It’s illegal to shoot fireworks in Kansas City.

Neighbors call the police and some even complain directly to Thad and his cronies. Quickly, the boys gather up the unused fireworks and Thad hides them in the house. The police arrive and take a quick look around, but seeing nothing wrong, they leave.

Now, move the clocks ahead to early the next morning - say around 3:00 a.m. Thad’s teenaged son wakes up hungry and decides to raid the kitchen.

Yum - that leftover lasagna looks perfect! So the boy takes the glass dish of pasta and slips it into the oven to heat up.

I know what you’re thinking, and you’re right. The oven is where the contraband fireworks are stashed.

First, let me tell you that nobody gets hurt, not even the teenaged boy. At the sound of the first “bang” he dives out the back door onto the lawn. But the kitchen is destroyed by the explosions that follow.

Next year the Johansens plan to celebrate Independence Day eating watermelon.