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greatballsofire

i’ve been lit on fire more than most people would care to be and several nights ago was actually a new experience concerning myself in a flammable state.
often my clothing has caught on fire from welding and grinding operations, a plume of sparks here, a hot chunk of slag or flux there. hot bars of steel have burnt my skin and simultaneously singed and split open my jaw.

when my friend set the roman-candle brick down on the stump and lit it, the colored balls shot at short intervals five to ten feet in the air, yet by the fourth or fifth shot, the brick hopped off of the log and started shooting directly at myself and my three friends. the other three ran shouting in all directions and i instead went right towards the pyrotechnic block. imagining myself jumping on a grenade for my buddies, i attempted to kick the firework down the small hill we were situated upon and missed as the block fired and rolled to the side. my second kick also missed, but the brick had righted itself and shot a low arcing ball just overhead. as i ducked to evade the sparks, the ball landed on the back of my head and proceeded to spew green sparks and burn into my scalp. with several swats i knocked the firey chemical ball from my smoking hair and dropped to the mud to cool my burning head.

my friends finally came back as the explosions ceased only to find me pounding the back of my head into the ground and swearing profusely.
they could only say ”what happened to Greg?”
bravery or stupidity? regardless, one new scar for my already abused scalp

2002-11-18 00:57

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  1. Holy Christmas in July Batboy. I'm glad I randomly checked in to the old McKaggis journal here. I sure hope your hair looks better than Sean Connery's in _The Name of The Rose_. Let me know if you need any ointments sent parcel post. Personally I think your heroism and go-get-em attitude is just the sort of thing that this fine world needs more of, however if a grenade were involved in the scenario I do believe that I would have to reply, "...stupid. Just plain stupid." It's one thing to help buddies in a crossfire; it's another thing to clamber after a sniper strapped with explosives and a dead man's switch (when you've been drinking). I'm more of a "run your ass off" or "duck and cover" sort of guy. x's and o's tough guy.
    — jmmygoggle    Nov 19, 01:48 PM    #
  2. Uh, be sure to skip the Brother Cadfael monk-do, too (shaved crown with wispy edges)this holiday season. Unless your scars work out to read "Og" or a cross or "Saddam Sux" or something cool. Your heroic tale reminds me of the SIU men's gymnastics team's annual blow-outs where they used an old couch as a trampoline to jump a big bonfire. Maybe the boys in leotards didn't corner the market on this rite, but I did witness one drunken jarhead bounce right into the fire. I surely miss Carbondale sometimes.
    — Elbee    Dec 4, 02:39 PM    #