Fire sucks

This is what I was talking about in the Baltimore thread. I couldn't say too much then because I didn't know very much. I know a little more now.

Of all the things I fear, fire may be on top of the list. I remember as a young kid a house behind mine burning up on Thanksgiving. The family got out, their dog didn't. I cried and cried and cried for days for a family and dog I didn't even know. I also started worrying. Even though I love my ass-scented candles, I take great care with them. I'm paranoid about unplugging things and making sure things are turned off, to the point where I've turned around and driven home to be sure. I worry about my dogs. I have all of two pictures of my dad, who died when I was 10. One is of him with his pet parrot, the only copy that exists. I have the oil painting of my dog Cindy, our bulldog, that we made for my dad a couple of years before he died. I have my dad's coffee mug and medical bag (no drugs left in it).

Anyway, read this:

http://www.insidenova.com/isn/news/local/article/child_injured_in_house_fire/38036/

The woman with two cockers who wouldn't give her name? My daughter's roommate. Yep, that's my daughter's place of residence. Firemen had to go in through there to fight the fire for some reason. So their house is close to a total loss. Very close. All people are animals are alive, so that's very, very good. Everything else can and will be replaced, so that's good, too. Still an awful, terrible, unsettling feeling. They're at least six months from being able to go in the house. Because of the position of their rooms, my daughter came out less the worse for wear than her roomie and she feels guilty.

In the odd way we think department, the roomie is a media person. She's covered assorted tragedies and this a.m. felt guilty for not giving her name. She's frantic as firemen are smashing her house and shooting water through there. Pretty understandable. She was even talking about calling and explaining or something.

My wife and son went up there today. My son said the insurance folks were great and seemed determined to make this as easy as possible. A bunch of my daughter's clothes have already been bagged and sent to the cleaners. They'll find them housing. The replacement stuff will be "as good or better" they were told. My wife got them some new clothes today.

We'll probably take some of our Baltimore time and slip down and check on things. They're about an hour away. But my thought that I'd spend all weekend on a salvage mission appears to be wrong. Insurance takes care of all that.

My daughter is a sweet kid who loves her friends and is very emotional. I stopped by her restaurant yesterday so she could give me a very cool Father's Day present (an awesome Kokopeli statue). She was in great spirits. One of her staff ran up to me and said, "I JUST LOVE YOUR DAUGHTER!" So do I, I said, so do I.

A few short hours later, all hell broke loose. I feel just awful that I can't do more for her but I did remind her that I'd make sure what they did not replace, I would. She's still here, roomie is still here, dogs still her. Neighbors are not in life-threatening situations. Could have been a hell of a lot worse.

 

Sorry, man. But like you said, stuff can be replaced. Glad that's all that was lost.

Fire has always been at the very top of my list of fears too. Nothing else is close.

 

Sue and David just got home. I'm going up tomorrow. David told me I did not want to see the house. He said the insurance guy and people working there were real pros. Computers, TVs and stereos already being worked on, clothes sent to a smoke specialist, unsalvagable stuff (which was most of it) removed. They felt a lot better after spending the day with her, but she's still shook up.

She also had to go into work. They wouldn't give her the day off. I will have to avoid going to her restaurant tomorrow to keep from saying something snide.