Little known fact: My father has always wanted to have a working cannon on our front lawn. This might be the best of all possible Father’s Day gifts for the old man. Not only does it look cool, and not only can you fire it on special occasions, it also protects the house from the damned Hessians who have been slowly taking over the neighborhood in the name of King George.
Edit: Chez Bez left a note recommending I check out Sarah Vowell’s essay about her father’s cannon, called “Sarah’s Dad’s Cannon.” I found it here. It’s the first act of five, and it runs roughly from 4:10 to about 15:30, and it’s really good.
June 7, 2007 at 1:10 am
There’s a Sarah Vowell essay about the very same thing. Her dad and his own personal cannon.
It’s a great piece. It’s called “Sarah’s Dad’s Cannon” and is well worth searching for.
June 7, 2007 at 2:04 am
Took me forever to find it, but it was worth the search.