Andrew Saves the Day

[porphyry]

 Late last night, Andrew, who displays the same night-owl tendencies as his father, comes rushing into the bedroom when I was almost asleep.  In my half-sleep, however, I could only note two things:  first, that he truly was agitated (in and of itself not too concerning because Andrew is melodramatic), and second, that I heard the word "fire."

Terrified, I jumped up, thinking our house was on fire, but it was rather the neighbor's house, and Andrew was the first to see the flames shooting through the roof.  911 was called.

Now, among the three houses up here, that house, which sits right next to ours, has been pretty much unoccupied for the past three years.  Prior to that, the residence had been a rental home, but the owner decided she didn't want to be troubled with renters anymore and sold the property to her nephew.

He never moved in.  None of us could quite figure out what he was thinking, but word on the street has it that when the nephew bought the home, he also took out a home improvement loan--the house definitely needed rehabbing--but then gambled all that away and so couldn't make it suitable to live in.  That's just a rumor.  No one, however, has resided in it on a permanent basis, though, which caused us little trouble except for a few calls to the city to report when the grass hadn't been mowed.

A few months ago, though, we noticed someone--not the owner--had taken up semi-residence, doing a little work on the place now and then while coming and going irregularly.  I thought it was strange all around.

So last night, after rushing outside to make sure the occupant had gotten out--he had--the man himself reports that he hadn't called the fire department and mentioned an explosion.  At first, I thought maybe it was a natural gas explosion, but after having a semi-sleepless night--it was a bad fire and took a long time to put out, and Andrew ultimately became quite frightened of it and was difficult to get to sleep--I have reconsidered.

Secluded house?  Irregular comings and goings?  Possible explosion?  Occupant didn't report the fire immediately?

I'm betting it was a meth-amphetamine lab that blew up.  Malkhos isn't so sure.  Stay tuned.

Still, I commended Andrew for his heroic report, emphasizing how very right he was to report what he saw.

Comments

It's Missouri.

[gislebertus.livejournal.com]

Meth lab.

[stefanie-bean.livejournal.com]

I am SO glad you guys are OK! You have one sharp-cookie child there, too. Sometimes insomnia can be a blessing.

My vote is for meth lab as well. We had one a few blocks from us (parents bought their college-student daughter a house so she could go to the local university. She went away for the summer; boyfriend moved in with his meth-making friends, and the smell alerted the neighbors. Arrests all around.)

[malkhos.livejournal.com]

It was rather frightening to see. Our house is far enough away so that I wasn't too concerned about it reaching our house, but the house on the other side is much closer, so I was more worried about that one. And the trees--I was very afraid the trees would catch since the flames were so high.

We're all fine--just a little tired. Andrew got to sleep late. :)

[malkhos.livejournal.com]

Her parents could afford to send her to Wash U or SLU, and on top of that they buy her a house...but she started dating a meth addict?

Pliny was impressed by the fact that ancient doorways were always larger than contemporary ones, taking it as prof that ancient men were larger than in Roman times...but he e is more certain proof of the decline of the generations.

Each generation, more wretched
than their fathers,
Sires sons worse than themselves,
The ages ever declining.

as Horace nearly said.

[malkhos.livejournal.com]

No, people who make drugs rarely use the drugs themselves. I doubt the boyfriend was an addict. He just wanted to make a lot of money by relying on other people's addictions.

[leopold-paula-b.livejournal.com]

What excitement! I'm glad you're alright. I have no opinion in either way about your meth lab suspicion, but I wondered why you called the city to report unmowed grass. (Frequent disturbance of the peace by night is the only thing I can think of I'd make the effort to report at all. And up till now my neighbours have always been quicker, so I didn't even have to bother about that.)

[malkhos.livejournal.com]

Most towns have fairly strict ordinances about grass getting too high--partly because it's unsightly but mostly such laws are written to lessen a property's attraction to vermin--namely, mice (which aren't so bad) but mostly rats, which are hard to eliminate and can carry disease, like rabies.

[leopold-paula-b.livejournal.com]

Ah I see, that's reasonable.

[malkhos.livejournal.com]

Don't let her kid you. She just thinks it doesn't look tidy.

[malkhos.livejournal.com]

First you tell everyone about my hoarding tendencies, now about my neat freak tendencies. They're all going to think I need therapy. :-)

[malkhos.livejournal.com]

For some reason, I always think of meth labs as being unique to the Midwest, but I guess they're everywhere.

Today, it became clear by daylight that the house is destroyed. Andrew is very proud of himself, thinking he's a hero like Batman.

[malkhos.livejournal.com]

My view is arson for profit--the owner was in serious difficulties, possibly from gambling debts.

[malkhos.livejournal.com]

You may be right, but I personally wouldn't try to outdo an insurance company.

Great job Andrew!

[helima.livejournal.com]

And yes, sounds like a meth house to me.

Re: Great job Andrew!

[malkhos.livejournal.com]

I really want to know too. I'll find out eventually.

[benicek.livejournal.com]

Did you photograph the fire?

P.S. Is it illiterate to use the word 'photograph' in the digital age?

[malkhos.livejournal.com]

No, I didn't take any pictures--I thought about it but then wondered if perhaps it would be rude to run inside and get the camera while somebody else's house was burning down.

I can send Malkhos to get pictures of the damage, though. I think I will.

You mean we're not supposed to call them 'photographs' anymore?

[benicek.livejournal.com]

I suppose 'digital photograph' is still technically correct.

[malkhos.livejournal.com]

Even the damage has already been obscured by covering up the windows with plywood. However, the entire roof is gone, reduced to just the rafters.

[siamhussein.livejournal.com]

Andrew should join the Hardy Boys or something like them! How extraordinary to hear of a child reporting fires rather than setting them!