Wednesday, December 10, 2008

I Saw My Life Flash Before My Eyes

Last night I almost died. I was at work. I had stayed late because we had the worst behaved kids I have ever dealt with. I was supposed to get off at 5:30 but we had a staff meeting at 7:00 so when 6:15 hit I gave up on going home. So while I was doing dishes, my co-worker Megan comes out of the bathroom, where she is giving kids baths, and says the pilot light on the hot waterheater is out again! I jump in with: I have lit pilot lights before I can do it! So I go to light the pilot light. (Keep in mind the pilot light is off the side of a closet full of clothes, and a dresser...very small space). I go through all the steps: turn off the gas, wait, smell for gas, go to light pilot, there are NO matches or lighters in the Center they are a "hazard". So we send ANOTHER co-worker to get a lighter. At this point staff meeting has started but I am determined to light the pilot. THEN I realized unless I was an octopus I wouldn't have enough hands to hold a flashlight, the little door open, the red button down, and a lighter. So I go get someone to help. There are now 2 of us in the little space, my pants are falling down, and I go to light the pilot... BUT I think to myself if I stick my hand in the now gas saturated pilot my hand is going to catch on fire. Co-worker Megan says her husband lit a papertowel then put the paper towel in to light the pilot. SO I decide to do that. The pilot does NOT light, however, the papertowel burns really well... I am now trapped in a sort of ball-like kneeling position with co-worker Shelena leaning over me, holding a burning papertowel. I'm inhaling smoking, trying to put the fire out, swearing, and yelling at Shelena to go get me a cup of water. At this point I gave up. Co-worker Megan's husband is called and he lights the pilot in 30 seconds all by himself. (He apparently is an octupus). And that is how I almost died.

In other news, Brian is sick nevermind that he has paper due tomorrow that he hasn't written and I can't write because it has to be in Spanish... he is sick. Not good. BUT we get to get our puppy today. Pictures to come!

3 comments:

Erin said...

Oh dear. Never good to nearly die in a tiny, enclosed space in a manner that would have likely caused many people to laugh uproariously (I'm sorry, but the visual image is rather amusing...think of the newpaper article that would have explained "Local woman dies while lighting pilot light with a paper towel...")

BloggingBills said...

I'm sorry about your gas problems. I'm glad you didn't die. Sorry that Brian is sick. Be careful, you can give colds to puppies and you don't need a puppy with a runny nose (and other things!)

MA

Erin said...

Puppy pictures???