Burning Down the House

I told BW candles scare me.

Here’s the scene:

Photo by Dave Hoefler on Unsplash

It’s about 5pm. We’re getting ready to think about dinner. BW is in the shower and I’m in my man cave farting around on the computer as I like to do.

The child - who has been glued to her nintendo for the afternoon was drawing a nintendo in the kitchen because she had the game turned off by BW because enough is enough - and besides, we’re having dinner soon.

we’re really cutting back on electricity use now. This is the new nintendo.

Suddenly, the child starts freaking out and screaming “Daddy, Daddy!” I ask what’s wrong and she can’t even speak she’s so scared - she tried to get something out of her mouth but no sound came out - finally she just said “go upstairs and look!”

I thinking it’s a spider or the dog got into something. Of course, I don’t know what I am looking for because I have no information, and then I turn the corner in the kitchen:

And there’s a piece of paper ON FIRE on the kitchen floor.

Let me say that again for those that may have missed it: ON FIRE!

My first reaction was to stomp it out, but sock feet and fire don’t mix so while this thing is happily burning inches from my toes I start to look for something else to put out this fire, because - you know - before the house burns down!

I find the closest thing within reach - and that happens to be an art canvas because the ladies like to paint at the kitchen table and it was what I had. Did I mention there was piece of paper at my feet on fire?

I didn’t have a lot of time to go looking for other items that might have been more suitable - like a fire extinguisher.

So, I plopped the canvas down over top of the paper and saved the day. The fire is out. Whew.

How did this fire start?

BW likes candles. She likes to have them on the kitchen table. The child likes to draw and create nintendo games out of paper at the kitchen table with paper and markers and glue.

If you add candle flame and paper together, you get more excitement than one can handle in an afternoon.

The comments afterwards are the best part: BW says matter-of-factly:

“Well, I guess that’s the end of candles on the kitchen table”

and the child?

“At least my nintendo didn’t get burned”

If there’s any good out of this I guess that according to the child I saved the day and she is forever grateful. I’m wearing a homemade “your’re my hero” medallion she made for me right now (after I found her MORE tape to use because she was out. again.)

There’s a few lessons here, but the most important is that we told the child that she did the right thing to find me right away and tell me and she is not in trouble in any way, shape, or form.

Today’s public service announcement: Don’t use candles.

We have light bulbs for a reason. And they are much safer and won’t almost burn down your house. I think that’s kind of an important thing to note.

Another day, another fire…

TH and Co.