Flaming

Last night, around 4 AM, I was jerked out of my peaceful slumber by a loud popping noise, followed by an orange sky. I scrambled out of bed, totally freaked out, because I knew SOMETHING was on fire, but I didn't know what. I couldn't really see out of my window because of my air conditioner and the smoke. I woke up one of my roommates, still not knowing exactly what was going on. We were finally able to see- as the cops yelled to the entire street "stay in your houses": it was a car. A car completely engulfed in flames, and lighting up the tree beside it. We have no idea how the car burst into flames. I doubt that someone would set a Subaru Outback on fire in Park Slope. Although, maybe one mom was really mad at another mom because she had bought the last Bugaboo stroller. But I digress.

I couldn't go back to sleep at all, even though I was relieved that it was a car, and not a house that was on fire. During the final semester of my senior year at WVU, the house I was living in caught on fire. The house itself was a total piece of shit- my roommates and I occupied 2 floors, and another tenant rented the basement apartment. That tenant was West Virginia as SHIT. I'm talking animals tied up out back, vacant cars taking up parking spaces, and there was probably even a toilet in the yard at some point. The fire was a result of these lovely people discarding an ash tray into a trash can that was filled with mineral spirit-soaked rags. Genius.

The night of the fire, we were all home. I heard a loud popping noise, and then the faint beeping of a smoke alarm. I called the fire department, and told my roommates that we should probably go outside, just in case. (Oh, this was in February at 8 PM. Not exactly the most fun time to be standing around outside). As soon as we left the house, we saw the flames lapping up the side of the house and all started freaking out. The fire department was there in a minute- tops- and put out the fire before it reached our part of the house. However, they knocked down several walls in the process (the fire was coming through the rafters), making the house complete unliveable. We were homeless.

The remainder of my senior year was spent in a University apartment, which was an even bigger piece of shit than that house. It was also more expensive. What a way to end my college experience. Fortunately, the good times and memories didn't burn with that piece of crap house. (Awwwwww sweet sentimental oooey goooey pewpy.)