sometimes things come in threes

So we're up at two or three in the morning following some nice physical pursuits, and a dog somewhere starts barking. One of our dogs starts barking too. Heather goes downstairs to check it out... and promptly hollers at me to call 911 -- the neighbors' house is on fire.

I look out the window, and it's not a small fire. The old mobile home of our sweet octogenarian neighbors, a couple hundred yards up the hill, is engulfed in flames. I call 911.

I throw on some clothes and shoes (no socks) and grab a flashlight, and head up the hill at a run. By this time things are popping and bursting, and smoke and flame are pouring out of all the windows. No one appears to be outside, and their cars are in the driveway.

Too late.


It's contained now, a couple of hours later. The other neighbors, who live very close to the fire, are okay. There are still about a dozen emergency vehicles around, but some seem to be leaving.

The boy, and my mother (visiting), have slept through it, surprisingly. Heather hosed down our house and lawn, quite sensibly, in case of a dramatic wind shift.

I don't know whether the neighbors' little dog made it out. Their mule is out in the pasture, I think. We'll assume foster care of the mule for the time being -- not that she needs much tending.

Who knows -- maybe by some miracle the neighbors were away visiting relatives or something -- but I doubt it.


- Eddie