Charlie and the Fireworks

I stood next to Charlie once
During the fireworks
On the 4th of July

It was at the park
And I was there with my wife
And our two kids

Charlie's wife was sitting on a blanket
Eating chicken salad or something
And Charlie was playing around with his daughter

Picking her up
And throwing her over his shoulder
Like a potato sack
Making his wife yell at him
The usual dad stuff

She must have been about six or seven

Then the fireworks started
And Charlie put his little girl
Up on his shoulders
So she could see better

And then--

I don't really know how to describe this for you
Without it sounding all dramatic
But...

It was quiet
Because everybody was listening to the fireworks
And I was kneeling right near Charlie
Pointing out to my kids
What was what

That bunch of fireworks is a rabbit
That bunch is a rose
That bunch is an American flag

Then from a few feet to my right
I heard somebody crying

I turned and it was this little girl
Crying into her hands
While her mother tried to talk to her
But she just wasn't having it

Her mom looked at me
Looking at her
And she said--

'I'm sorry.  Her Dad's in the army, and uh, he's not...um...she just wants to see the fireworks'

Then I could see her getting upset
So I put my hand up
To say 'it's okay, don't worry about it'
Then from next to me
I heard Charlie say--

'I got another shoulder if you want it'

Now Charlie wasn't what you'd call a big guy

Even with his little girl on his shoulders
He seemed to be sagging under the weight

I would have offered to put the other girl on my shoulders
But she was already running over to Charlie
Before her mother could say anything

And he adjusted his daughter
So she was on one shoulder
And he lifted the other girl
Right up onto the other

And I swear to you on my life
It was like he gained a day's strength
With those two girls up there

He held them both up like that
Until the fireworks were over
Just like Atlas or something
Holding up some little girl's world

I understand that everybody here’s got something to say

About Charlie, about life, death, whatever

All I wanna say is—

You can’t add up all the good and bad things

Somebody’s done in their life

And get a number

That tells you what kinda person they were

You could ruin a life

And save a life

And it wouldn’t equal out to nothin’

People aren’t made up of math

We’re all just air and mistakes

And sometimes fireworks

That night I bent down
And just like I showed my daughter
The rabbits and the roses and the flags

Popping out all over the sky

And then I pointed to Charlie
And under my breath
I said, just so she could hear--

'That's a man, right there.  That's a good man.'

Because I wanted to make sure my daughter
Would know one when she sees one