DANCING WITH FLAMES - Segment 3 (Scroll down for earlier segments)

      During the summer, when school was out of session, our local fire department always kept extra personnel on standby.  There was even some talk of building a fire lookout in our neighborhood,  but the petition was invalidated because several neighbors had signed multiple times.
          

     Even though we felt we were accomplished firefighters, Farley Barnsmell, the local sheriff, didn’t hold us in the same high regard.  He viewed us with suspicion.   Just seeing us standing by a vacant lot would cause him to twitch and shake. 
     

     During our training, we learned that failure to stomp out a fire meant dealing with Farley, and he didn’t enjoy fireside chats.  He never believed us when we told him the fire was started by some mysterious “bush.”  Then he would make a big fuss about the danger to nearby homes.  After that he would run through the detention center scenario, which we had memorized.  Rather than undergo intense questioning by Farley in a dimly lit underground bunker, it was better to put out the fire and scatter.
  
     Fire would sometimes sneak up on us when we were least expecting it---probably because it enjoyed our company.  One particularly hot summer day, Lester was minding his own business when he discovered a nest of earwigs had taken up residence in an old mattress, in the orchard behind his house.  He issued an eviction notice, but the earwigs weren’t moving.  Lester realized he would have to take a stand since the mattress was his bed when he camped in the orchard.

     Knowing he couldn’t negotiate with the earwigs, Lester decided he would sweat them out with a little heat therapy.  He grabbed his magnifying glass and went to work.  With a steady hand and fierce concentration, Lester had them sweating so profusely, that they finally gave in and fled the mattress.
        

     Having subdued the earwigs, he went inside and assumed the matter was finished.  That was until his mom heard the sirens and saw a fire truck pull up outside the house.  The smoldering mattress had burst into flames and was threatening the orchard and nearby homes.
  

     As Lester watched the large plume of smoke blot out the hot summer sun, he quickly assessed the situation and came up with a plan.  He would hop the local freight train as it passed slowly through town, and vanish into the night. Unfortunately, it was the middle of the day, and the train wasn’t coming through town.  But his father was coming through town, on his way home from work.

    
    This prompted Lester to consider a change of address.  But it was too late.  His father was home.  He promptly gave Lester some heat therapy.  The earwigs stopped by to watch Lester sweat. 
     

    Lester was banned from possession of a magnifying glass until he was twenty-one.  His parents considered it a firearm.

    Of course, the ever-plotting Lester was still considering his options.  He thought he should get a new mattress in exchange for the magnifying glass.  After several months, he presented the idea to his parents.  They agreed, as long as Lester kept the mattress on his bed.


To be continued...check back soon