Public Service Announcement IV

Topeka Capital Journal photo

One of the responsibilities of being male is bearing the burden of the "I'm right" gene.  Men know what's best, and are intolerant of those who believe otherwise.  That's why we do most of the things we do, we do it our way, not someone else's.  I am here today gentlemen to ask you to do something another way.

The fire crew in the photo above is at the home of lifelong friends of people we love.  The fire investigator suggests that the probably avoidable fire was caused by a series of events many of us are guilty of.  The day was hot and Dad having just finished cutting the grass put the lawnmower away.  It is speculated the still hot mower was parked too near a gas can in an enclosed garage.  The heat from the mower... gas fumes... fire truck.

For 50 years, that's the way he did it without a problem.  Neither dad nor anyone on his street will ever do it dad's way again.  You shouldn't either.

Toad

worry wart

Prior to moving into the woods, Mrs. T and I lived in a typical cookie cutter suburban neighborhood.  The original settlers were offered a limited number of building plans, so when the builders left approximately every third house was a copy of yours. We liked it there, and by the time the trees matured it was a lovely place to live.

Several years ago our old favorite neighbor's house was struck by lightening and burned to the ground. I wrote about the fire here. They have since rebuilt, better than ever.

We've heard little from our neighbors since we moved, rarely do we drive the streets we knew so well, until  last week.  A family member phoned late one night to tell that our old house was on fire and the story led the local nightly news.

 Noticing Mrs. T didn't sleep well the night we heard the news, in the morning I lightly broached why. Never let it be said my bride isn't all girl. " I've been worrying all night. What if the fire was due to something we did to the house?" and assorted nonsense, she railed, once again wondering how I could be so oblivious.

Convinced we were about to be sued my bride insisted, that before breakfast, we assess our liability. It wasn't our home, but one across the street.  It was the house next door to the one that burned in 2009. What are the odds?

Toad