Hot Stuff!

For some reason I am extremely afraid of fire.  To strike a match terrifies me.  As a little kid I hated the fourth of July, because all the adults push sparklers at us.  Every single year adults want us to play with sparklers so they have a fit if you refuse to hold one.  Some even go so far as to force the issue by putting it in your hand to help you hold the blasted thing.  When they did that I would hold it out as far away as my arm could reach and turn my head the opposite way until it went out.  Every adult believes they can cure your fear!!  When I was very young I heard stories about my grandpa (mom's dad) and how he died.  While he was at the end of the driveway burning leaves, he was overcome by the smoke and feel into the pile of burning leaves.  Nobody ever said how long he was there before someone found him, but he had very severe burns to his front section from his waist to his knees.  I guess he died not too long after such severe injuries.  At home don't ask me why, but we lived across from the fire station and when the fire whistle blew (we did not have any trouble hearing the alarm), it seemed like everyone in town jumped in their cars to follow the fire trucks to the fire.  All the cars lined up off the side of the road, so they did not interfere with any aspect of putting out the fire.  The people watched for awhile and went back home.  Golly, I remember one night dad got a call real late at night telling him Uncle Raymond's tool shed (barn) was on fire.  He and mom woke Di and I up put on our robes and slippers and we all ran out to the car.  Dad drove so fast to get there we were scared.  We could see the blaze more than a mile away, it was bad!  Dad parked by the house, on the grass so the driveway was not blocked.  Uncle Raymond's kids were all put into their white station wagon, and that's where we ended up.  They could not find Bob and people were looking all over, when someone went back into the house, he was sound asleep in the corner setting in the kids little wooden rocker.  So he joined us in the car, while everyone was frantically trying to battle the enormous fire.  They had to move the livestock they were to close to the barn, or they would have had tons of rump roasts to eat.  The fireman told dad the fire was so HOT he needed to move the station wagon with us kids so the gas tanks would not explode, as well as our car we came in.  So he moved the cars to the road, which was further behind the house.  Fireman started hose down the front of the house, the paint was curling up and melting, and peeling.  They said the barn was a total loss, because it had been filled with bales of hay and straw, so firemen just watched as it burned down.  They also had to water the surrounding buildings for the cattle, horse, pigs, corn crib,and silo, to try and save them.  We stayed there all night and most of the next day, then mom took us home, while Aunt Betty was finally able to put the kids back to bed too.  That was scary!! 
   Any time dad burned leaves, or started the grill, I stood way back but watched to make sure he was safe.  Many times dad or Uncle Raymond grilled they used charcoal lighter.  That made me very nervous, because even after the coals were burning, sometimes they would squirt more lighter fluid onto the fire causing a huge burst of flames.  What made me more nervous is the fire might follow the fluid back to the can and explode!!!  My cousins smoked and some used cigarette lighters.  Couple of times I saw them drop the lighter because it got too hot to hold after while.  So for whatever reasons, I still am terrified of fire, flames, gas grills, charcoal grills, and gas stoves.  Then you know I cannot smoke, I would have to beg people to light my cigarettes.  There is not anywhere on my property a grill of any kind.  Once some elderly friends were grilling us hamburgers and Wanda had to use the restroom, so she asked me if I could watch the grill.  Sure !!!   Millie and I sat in the swing talking when all of a sudden flames shoot up from the grill from the grease.  Millie asked me what I was going to do.  So I told her Wanda just asked me to watch the grill, she never said I had to take care of the grill, or the hamburgers.  Millie laughed and asked what if they all burn?  Soberly I told her we go out to eat, my treat.  Wanda came back out about then and yelled why didn't I watch the grill,  I simply told her that I was watching.  Watching it and the flame from a safe distance.  Needless to say we went to Burger King, my treat!!  So by now you have probably guessed I won't grow up to be a chef or fireman.