<< back to Talent page
The following story was written by Hank Rempel, a senior living in B.C. He is hoping to have these and several others he has written published. Does anyone know how he might accomplish this? Email him at rempel@island.net with any suggestions.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
FIRE RETARDENT DIAPERS
Edwin C. was a friend of mine who lived about a half mile from our place. Edwin came over to my place one Saturday & says, "c'mon over & look at the neat fort I built." When you're about nine years old, there's not many more important things in life than having a fort. ZIP & we were at Edwin's place!!
His folks had just bought a new wringer washer because of the new baby that his mom was lugging around. Beside the washer on the porch was a galvanized "Beatty" washtub, half full of water, bleach, & diapers.
The big cardboard carton that the washer had been shipped in was now parked in the bush out back. It had become the basic material for Edwin's new fort. He had scrounged a bunch of lumber scraps & made an enlarged version of the carton.
I was impressed as it was about 4ft. x 4ft. x 4ft. & in order to attain such huge dimensions, he had found some tarpaper which served as floor & roofing material. "That ain't no fort" I said, "that's a palace"!
We crawled through the doorway which was about 2 ft. high. It was totally dark inside, as Edwin hadn't cut any openings for windows. There was a little table & two blocks of firewood for chairs, a lard pail complete with water & two cups for drinking. The lid of the pail had some melted wax & bits of string in it for a candle. "C'mon" he says, "I'll have you a game of "old maid". We sat on our easy, (firewood) chairs & Edwin lit the lid full of wax. We played a hand or two and as we watched, the lid full of wax grew from one single flame into four or five individual flames. All of a sudden, they melded together to make a friggin' torch. The paper ceiling was quickly turning brown from the heat. "We'd better do something about that candle," I said. "I'll cool it down," says Edwin, as he dumps some water out of his cup into the burning wax.
Sputter! Pop!! Whoosh! Hey!!! OW!!! Ow!!! "Lets get out," says Edwin.
We had been splattered with hot wax & were both competing to get out the little doggy door at the same time. By the time we got clear the flames were squirting out all over. "THE TUB" says Edwin!!
We dashed over & each grabbed a handle of the tub as Edwin's mom started hollering something at us. We couldn't hear her too well cause we were grunting & panting from exertion, plus spurring each other on. "Hurry"!! "I am".
"We're gonna catch the bush on fire!! Together now!! "One", swing, "Two", swing, "Heave". Sploosh!! Edwin's mother's voice trailed off ---
"Blank, blank, blank, Diapers!!!
I looked at Edwin & said, "I gotta go home now".--- "Bye".
Advertising Information 
