The Fire

Yesterday, I was letting my fat dogs run around the field behind Encina High School, when I noticed a big plume of smoke coming from the baseball diamond. I saw two boys walking away, but they seemed oblivious to the smoke, like they didn’t start it. I thought the smoke looked pretty fierce, so I went over to check it out, and it was indeed, two garbage can fires situated directly behind the diamond.
No one was around, so I had to hurry it up to try to get to a phone. I was kicking myself in the ass for not bringing my cell phone. I went to one house directly across the street. The windows and the door were open, but no one came to the screen door. Crap!
So I start running, with my excited, panting dogs, to my street. I came to the first house on the street, where the owners always sit outside and play chess. I asked them if I could use their phone. They said, with deep accents and apologetic eyes, "don’t speak English." That’s ok, I tell them, as best I could. Onwards!
I get to a birthday party I had passed on the way to the field. This is an acquaintance of mine’s house, and a closer friend of mine was there. I asked her if I could use her phone, and I called 911. I took my dogs home, and told my son, Seth and his friend, Josh, who had stayed the night. They followed me back to the field.
I was walking quickly back to the field to help the firefighters find the fires and give my statement. When I got to the people who couldn’t speak English’s house, the fire truck went screaming by. Their eyes were wide, and I pointed to where the truck had gone, and then pointed to myself and put my hand to my ear, like I had a phone. Their eyes got wider.
I am soooo tired and sweaty, (ick!) by this point. I am also soooo glad I have started working out, again, because if I hadn’t been, I think I would’ve gotten a migraine(more on those later.. I’m sure). When I get to the field, the firefighters are just getting out there. I said hello and showed them where the other can was. Josh thought he smelled lighter fluid. I don’t doubt it. They kicked over the cans and proceeded to "pee" on the smoldering piles with water fire extinguishers. No biggy.
So I ask them if they needed anything else from me, thinking I would have to give a formal statement. They said, "Nope, but thanks for calling us!" On my way back, I notice a pile of stuff over next to a tree just a few yards away from one of the fires. On closer look, I realized that a bum was sleeping next to the pile. Since he was out cold, I figured he didn’t light the fires, but if I hadn’t called the fire department, the fires would’ve lit onto the wooden backdrop of the diamond, to the dry grass, to the trees, and then to the sleeping man.
I wasn’t going to work out yesterday, but it seems I did anyway. AND, I think I saved a life! Yay for me! I was a hero for a day!