Today I experienced a few minutes of terror, and then thanking life for allowing me to experience those moments of desperation so I can be prepared. It is recycle day today and I went to my garage to put out the bins. Since most of my bins fill up quickly I always end up putting the rest of the recycled paper into paper bags. I was ready to pick my last bag when I realized there is smoke coming out of it. I stopped and felt my heart raising, looked but I couldn't see a fire. Then I hear a crackling sound and I think of the smell of fire. Now my heart is going 100 miles per hour and millions of thoughts running through my head. Then I remember we have a fire extinguisher. I run to the closet with lots of shelves, I know the fire extinguisher is there, somewhere in there. I look and look, and keep thinking of the bags burning. I can't find the fire extinguisher, I look again and this time my desperation takes over and I don't know what to do for a second, then I think.... since I can't find the fire extinguisher I have to remove that bag from the garage. If I bring it out to the street it will burn but it won't burn the house down. I run towards the garage thinking I could probably pull it with the broom stick if the fire is already to high. As I run into the garage expecting flames all over and my heart just wanting to pop out of my chest, my nerves taking over me but ready to act. I see nothing.... I walk into the garage and there is no smoke, no smell, no crackling. I look at the bag and its intact. My heart is still pounding hard but I'm feeling better now that there is no fire. I move the bag and I see the smoke again. Then.... I remembered. There is a trash bag next to it, and the day before I had vacuumed all over the house. I'm feeling silly now, there is the smoke, its just dust that is coming out of the trash bag as I move it with my foot. But what about that crackling sound and the smell of fire, well that's what the brain does to you when you believe something that is not even there. That shows you how powerful your mind could be. The crackling sound was probably the papers in the bag making noise when I moved it, and the smell, well that's my creative imagination I'll say. I thank god and then continue putting the trash outside. But as I'm doing that I'm now thinking... but what about if it was a real fire? What would have happened if the fire was inside the house and it was something I couldn't just take outside like I would have done with the bag? This is how life works, you are put in situations to make you think... to make you learn... to make you smarter. I went back inside right to the closet again to look for the fire extinguisher. There it was, right on the top shelf, hiding behind a bucket full of insignificant stuff. I pick it up and place it on the corner of another shelf, this time lower, thinking that if my kids ever needed it they can reach it, and in a place where nothing was blocking it. I could see it and in a moment of desperation, I know I was going to find it.
It was a scary experience although now I can laugh and tell my kids the story, but as I tell them I will remind them where the fire extinguisher is and show them how to use it, since I'm sure they have no idea. They know about calling 911 in an emergency but what about while 911 gets to them? I need them not only know to make that important phone call but also how to survive.
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 | Wow, that's a good scary story with a good ending lesson! | -- Anonymous, 9/10/09
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