Sunday evening, I stepped out the door to my hacienda to clean the windows on my house. In the sky was a thick, black and brown cloud. I knew immediately that there was something of enormity burning a few blocks away. Sirens had not sounded and there appeared to be no fire engines yet. Being the inquisitive old man I am, Jim and I got in the car and headed in that direction.
I was amazed that a 40 acre public park about half a mile from the family ranch was engulfed in flames! We drove to a side street to take a look see. To our astonishment, we were not the first ones on the scene, but rather had come late to the burning bushes. Unlike Moses, though, our bushes were being swallowed by flames. It took us about seven minutes to get to the fire, but the Phoenix Fire Department had not shown yet.
We stood for about three minutes and perused the landscape, and I commented that we had to go before we were unable to leave. As we hit the end of the dead end road, A PFD engine was struggling to get through because all the gawkers like ourselves had blocked the two lane street and had the engine no where to go. Finally, one guy drove upon the sidewalk, and we followed suit, allowing the firemen to do their jobs.
It was quite a neighborhood event. The fire was finally put out about three hours later, and involved over 40 firemen and a boat load of equipment.
When we got home, we sat and talked about the experience and the people that showed up from nowhere to stand around and hinder the firemen. We admonished them, scolded them, made fun of them. Then my daughter came into the room and said merely, "And you fools were right there, too!"
Puts everything into perspective. I am glad I do not live in a glass house.
Doughnut.
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