Dona E. Bowens

I blessedly live in a neighborhood of new immigrants. My next door neighbors are from Liberia and beside them is a family from Nepal.

Many of the adults stroll the neighborhood sporting “fits,” as the youngins say, straight from their native lands. African prints and sarongs. The kids have already been Americanized, wearing clothes that, if I were to imitate their style, I’d be accused of pulling a Madonna and trying too hard in my middle age.

On this Fourth of July, the first I’ve spent in the US in nearly two decades, I’ve come to the realization that new immigrants have to be the most patriotic of us all. Why do I say this? Because these Americans, my neighbors, have been blowing up 💥 stuff for 2 days in celebration of independence.

I wonder how hard they’re gonna go tonight on the actual holiday? I need to take a stroll and see if anyone is BBQing and introduce myself. It’s the neighborly thing to do.