This is a photo of a door by the Picador. It has nothing to do with my post, I just like all the different textures in it.
Today the girls and I were hanging around the house doing whatever the hell it is we do to piddle the hours away on the weekend, when I smelled something burning. It didn't smell like something was left on the stove, it was more like burnt wood. Our upstairs neighbors weren't home, so I was worried it might be coming from their place. I put on a few layers of clothes and went outside to investigate. I could barely see, the smoke was so thick. There was a fire truck in the street next door hooking up to the hydrant. At first, I thought it was the twin duplex beside us, but then I walked closer to it, and saw that all the smoke was coming from Evans Street about a block away.
The fire engine's radio was squawking very loudly at no one in particular. It said that they thought someone was still trapped inside the building, and that thought made me sick. I feel so bad for the victims. I have this weird suffocation complex, and the idea of being trapped in a smoke filled building scares the shit out of me. I used to be a wildland fire fighter when I lived in Northern California, but I don't think I could ever fight structure fires. I still don't know for sure what happened to the occupants of the building, but Stinky and some friends got about a block away and said they heard an ambulance was on its way. I asked Stinky not to get any closer, because the parade of cars that drove past our house for days, pointing and taking pictures of our despair after the tornado, has tended to make me very respectful toward others that way.
Our neighbors on Rochester Street, whose dad died two months after the tornado, just lost their grandfather last week. I thought this year might be a little better, but 2007 seems to have it in for us too. As Coadster said this afternoon, "Jeez! Our neighborhood just can't catch a break."
As usual, I'm stupidly optimistic. If good luck almost assuredly runs out, shouldn't bad luck too?
10 comments:
Yes! Bad luck runs out just like good luck does! That is my dad's theory and I am sticking with it.
Also, Oh my God. I just got sucked into your website, you are something else! I almost fell over at "road apple." :)
Churlita,
I was a volunteer fireman for ten years. Being in a burning building even with a scott airtank on is an incredibly scary feeling.
As the saying goes, "it rains on the good and bad alike"
Of course badluck runs out!
rel
I am more of an optimist...Your house was not destroyed by the tornado and it is not your house being burned in the fire.
I would say you are having some good luck.
Laurie,
Thanks for the compliment and for commenting. I'll go with your dad's theory too.
Rel,
I didn't know you fought fires. Coming from another fire fighter, I think we're all just a little bit crazy...In a good way , of course. You are one brave man.
Killer,
Personally, I feel very lucky for so many reasons. I'm speaking more in collective terms - our neighborhood has been getting screwed lately, and I would like it to stop now. I know exactly what you're saying, though.
I was heading down the street by your house and it was cordoned off by a couple of fire trucks and I was glad to see it was not your house. Are you doing the wine thing tonight? I still have that book in the car for you.
I didn't hear of any wine drinking going on, but I have exactly $0 until Wednesday, so I guess it doesn't matter either way.
We'll have to figure out another way for me to get that book.
I have exactly (-)$455 until next Friday. Where is my W-2?
Fringes,
Ouch. I hate that. So, where are your W-2's? I got my taxes done this weekend. Now I'm just waiting to hear if they went through.
I have a friend who is a firefighter. He tells me the worst stories about what he sees at work. I haven't lit my candles in months.
Mist,
I love candles, but I'm very careful with them. I also don't keep piles of kerosene soaked rags all over my house anymore.
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