Ever Have A Scary Episode In Your Life Occur?
By pyewacket
@pyewacket (43903)
United States
July 26, 2007 11:55pm CST
I was just responding to a discussion by whimseystoryteller and it got me thinking of some "scary" episodes that happened in my life. And they all have to do or are connected with fires.
My first real biggie was about eleven years ago. In fact it happened on July 4th..that I remember. I had just come home, it was about eight at night...My mother was still alive then of course. Well I got home and headed straight to the bathroom to start cleaning and changing the cat pans.. While I'm in there the lights went kind of weird, so decided to come out and ask my mom if the lights had flickered out in the living room as well..Well she's standing near the door-frame of the kitchen and I'm just about to ask her when all of a sudden the one half of the apartment goes dark...So I figure it was just a fuse that had blown out. But then something compelled me, don't know why, but to go into the bedroom. Well, my mouth gaped open....It wasn't just a little sparking or smoking, but flames were shooting out of the electrical outlet. It was some kind of short. Well instead of getting in a frenzy, I ran into the kitchen and grabbed a bag of flour..yes, flour..somewhere in my mind, I had remembered my old Home Economics class in Junior High school, that for grease fires, to douse the fire with flour.
Okay..this wasn't a grease fire, but I figured it would be good to snuff out the fire since I realized that throwing water at an electrical outlet was a no-no and would have made it worse. Well it worked...it did put the fire out..of course I made some real humdinger of a mess with all that flour all over the place--LOL
Now you might be wondering, like, duh, why didn't I call the fire dept. --good thing I DIDN'T...for many years, all the fire hydrants didn't work at all,...they were only fixed about two years ago....and about five years ago, there was a fire in the apt. building across the way...A neighbor of mine who knew the people in that apt told me the low down...their fire started EXACTLY the same way as mine...but when the fire dept came they really couldn't do much...they had to call in for a truck WITH water in it, as the hydrants didn't work.--they also tried to hook up with extra long hoses to the hydrants around the block...by the time they got things functional and going the apartment was totally gutted...the fire had raged through in moments, a total wreck.
So bottom line, one, I'm glad that something propelled me to look into my bedroom; two, stayed calm and thought of that bag of flour!!
I have more delightful episodes..LOL...but I think this should take a prize!! LOL
5 people like this
12 responses
@gmakesmoney (2923)
• United States
27 Jul 07
Wow that is quite the story. I never would've thought of flour to put out a fire, I didn't know it was used for grease fires either. I learned something new! Fires are pretty scary!
I've had a lot of scary moments in life, the scariest for me was one day coming home from christmas shopping to find my apartment a total mess. I'm talking over turned Christmas tree, cat litter thrown all over the house, jewelry everywhere, all of our (my mother's and mine) birth certificates torn into pieced, you name it, it was destoryed. And worse of all a bloddy broken window, blood on the cieling and my cat missing. She is my heart, I got her after a miscarrage and she means the world to me and she's been raised to think she's a child so she wouldn't know about avoiding cars and what not. I lived in an area where people would run over pets on purpose and such. I freaked out, called the police, who didn't care because as he said he hates cats. I called HomeAgain (she's got the chip) and they were so nice. I looked for her for hours, in total hysterics. Finally I put her dish outside and after a few hours heard the dish being thrown, I ran outside and didn't see her. I thought a stray ate the food. Then I looked all the way down the street into a sandbox, something said look, and there I saw a red shinny heart light... her tag was reflecting. I walked to her slowly and was able to pick her up and by some miracle she didn't have a single scratch on her. She was afraid to go home. The worst part was finding out that it was a hate crime. Nothing was stolen and in that tiny town rumors spread quick, it was the teen grandsons of the mayor of that town. And the very next day she said to us, get out of my town you don't belong here or worse things can happen. Everyone knew about the cat, the town is only like 6-10 blocks big, and neighbors used to come by and visit with her when whe was sunning on the porch, so everyone knew what she meant to us. I think the saddest part is that it was a hate crime on minorities by a group of minorities who themselves have been victims of such crimes for decades. I still have nightmares and the cat now has behavior problems, nervious problems and is on prozac. That's my scary story!
3 people like this
@gmakesmoney (2923)
• United States
27 Jul 07
oh and and we did move out of that town.
3 people like this
@teapotmommommerced (10359)
• United States
27 Jul 07
I do not understand why someone would hurt someone else because the color of their skin or their religion. I think anyone who committes a hate crime should burn in hell. I know that is wrong of me because we are taught to forgive but that is a crime to me that is unforgiveable. I hope your cat is doing well on prozac. I hope you found peace in your new town.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
27 Jul 07
Holy s**t is all I can say....I take it this was a "small town" for as you said the neighborhood was only 6-10 blocks big...and I suppose nothing was done to the culprits who did this seeing that it was the grandsons of the mayor?? gee what a "nice" mayor and then to tell you off that way...I'm so glad you moved!!!
I took a peek at your profile page...is that your kitty? She is a beauty....and I know how you feel toward your cat...my two cats are my babies and family too, so I do understand...
You're right that IS a scary story..a terrifying one
1 person likes this
@TerryZ (22076)
• United States
27 Jul 07
Oh geez now thats a story! Im very proud of you.LOL I didnt know flour does that. Now I do. Im scared to dealth of fires. I started a discussion a little bit ago asking what is it we fear the most and I said being in a fire. I dont want to ever be in a fire. And good job to you I will never forget about the flour. Thanks
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
4 Aug 07
You better believe I always have flour around now...hehe
@brendalee (6082)
• United States
27 Jul 07
I can think of quite a few but there are two that stick out in my mind. The first one happened when I was about 8 years old. We were at a friends cabin by the lake and all the adults were drinking. One lady decided to take a swim. I was watching her when all of a sudden she disappeared. Several of the others tried to save her but with no luck. I watched someone drown that day and I will never forget that. Then another time a few years later, we were at my mother's boyfriend's parents house having a cookout. The old man was throwing gasoline on the fire to get it going. The flame traveled up his arm and set his clothes on fire. I watched him as he ran around the yard with the flames getting worse, until someone tackled him and put the fire out. He lived but he was burned very badly.
2 people like this
@teapotmommommerced (10359)
• United States
27 Jul 07
brendalee arn't you glad you do not have to relive that year of your life again. SORRY I JUST SNEEZED ON YOU. I DID WIPE YOU OFF. LOL
To see someone drown would be so horrible. I have seen so many people die being a nurse, but not tragically out in life.
Thanks for sharing such an afawl year of your life.
1 person likes this
@GnosticGoddess (5626)
• United States
27 Jul 07
Oh my goodness Pye!
That's insane!
That is really some "use of cool logic in the face of fire"! (J.K. Rowling)
I don't really have any scary episodes...that I can think of this morning anyway. *considering myself lucky*
2 people like this
@Grandmaof2 (7579)
• Canada
27 Jul 07
I'm thinking thank the good lord you came home when you did. Would your mother have known what to do ? I'm glad no one was hurt. This could have been a real bad situation.
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
4 Aug 07
I am thankful I came home in time too...no, I seriously doubt my mom would have known what to do
@bharatibajaj (133)
• India
27 Jul 07
Hi!I think I should put in the word DRASTIC & not scary episode that happened to me.A terrible ACCIDENT in which I got a second life.A headlong collision on the HIGHWAY & our car was crushed . To come out of it, is only a MIRACLE.I had both my hips fractured,stitces on the head, knee, hand etc.I have undrgone 6 major operations, including HIP-REPLACEMENT[TWICE].To add the agony, I have a FOOT-DROP,WHERE 24HOURS,I have the NEEDLE_PRICKS sensations on my toe, even now.Though it has not been easy, I am thankful to GOD from the bottom of my heart that HE has made me come out of it & move on & saved my BRAIN.GOD BLESS!!
www.creatingcolourfulfuture.com
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
4 Aug 07
This reminds me of a story I heard about the man who is known as the miracle man...Morris Goodman...he survived a plane crash...he was so bad off, they thought all he be able to do is blink his eyes the rest of his life.....but through the miracle of the mind, and his willpower, he came through---he now lives a fairly regular and normal life now
@gabs8513 (48686)
• United Kingdom
28 Jul 07
Well my scary experience was as a Child when someone jumped on my Back in the Swimming Pool and the water was rushing into my Lungs, lucky enough someone had seen what had happened and rushed over to pull me out
I have not Swam since then
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
13 Aug 07
Good thing someone saw what happened and pulled you out!! And I don't blame you for not wanting to swim again
@KrisNY (7590)
• United States
30 Jul 07
I think one of my scariest episodes also dealt with fire- I was in high school- and had just smashed up a car- (another one)--- it was just me and my dad home- My dad had the car in the driveway down by the house- Our driveway was long and went downhill to the garage (under the house)… I was just getting into my new car to go to a friends house- My dad was trying to take out something from under the car- Now he has worked on vehicles forever as long as I could remember- something made me stay there- He grabbed the torch because whatever he was trying to get out from under the car would not budge- He carefully went under the car with the flame (he hasn’t done this again) and it caught the gas tank- Boom! Fire everywhere--- he got out- thankfully with no burns- I don’t know what he was thinking- The car was totally engulfed in flames and it was right next to the house- He had a water hose and was hosing down the house so it wouldn’t catch fire- I went to call the fire department- we lived in the country- so just so happened a volunteer fireman was driving by- He was able to pull the car away from the house and they put out the fire- Scary!
@LittleMel (8742)
• Canada
13 Aug 07
another mylotter told me that flour can put grease fire out but I don't know that if it's not grease fire, it can be put out too :) thanks for the info! but it's alarming how come for years the fire hydrant doesn't work?
@ElicBxn (63235)
• United States
4 Aug 07
I lived in an old, run down house back in the early 1980's. I actually liked living there, it was close in to town, a cute little place.
One night it was POARING rain. Lightening was flashing & it was just about enough to drown you out in the rain.
The former roomie & I had just come in, even with the umbrella, we were pretty soaked.
Just after we got there, the power flashed & went out, then a ball of - electricity? flashed out of the wall socket near the sink!
The former roomie was on the phone calling the fire department before the sizzle ended!
They came out - brave men, in the poaring rain - & made sure there was no fire in the walls. Said that the power going out probably prevented an electrical fire & the rain was coming down so hard it was getting under the siding - did I mention this place was pretty run down?
@scarlet_woman (23465)
• United States
29 Jul 07
i guess the scariest thing that happened in my home was my grandmother having a heart attack and falling down the cellar steps.we have one of those dungeon type cellar doors,and she hit her head going down them on a cross beam.i heard her fall,and when i ran to her,she was unconcious.
she's lucky i was there (i was the only other person home).fire dept got a shock with a 7 yr old calling that in.i had to convince them i wasn't playing a prank.i think they finally believed me when i started getting mad.
1 person likes this
@scarlet_woman (23465)
• United States
11 Oct 07
it was.i'm just thankful i wasn't calling them for an actual fire and they were doubtful.
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
13 Aug 07
Goodness that must have been rather traumatic for you to have gone through that at such a young age..and good thing you finally convinced the fire dept that it wasn't a prank
1 person likes this
@sumofalltears (3988)
• United States
27 Jul 07
The house I grew up in was built in 1950 piece by piece as my parents got money to finish it....It was finally livable by 1953. I grew up in this house, but for my older sister this was house number two because the first house my parents built burned down vrom a lightning strike. That burned out shell because the garage for the new house. When I was about 12 the house was again hit by lightening, but nothing real serious happened just some clapboards ripped off and a tiny pin hole was burned into the kitchen sink. Then a few years after that I was struck by lightening through the phone. So I guess I must have a lightening problem...lol.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
4 Aug 07
LOL--you have a lightening problem...me fires...geez...how bad was it when you were struck though?
