I had a business Christmas Luncheon to attend that day. I attended the luncheon and then met with a client. While I was with the client, my cell phone starting ringing out of my purse (the current version of off the wall)....I excused myself to the hallway to see why I was getting so many phone calls. It seems there was a fire on my block, people I knew were driving by, calling to see if I knew anything, whose house it was, some thought it was my house. I excused myself from my client and started the 45 minute drive home.
I talked to my daughters via cell phone. My youngest daughter had been there earlier in the day because she was making gift baskets for her Dad's business and my dining room was the staging area. We were going to meet up after I finished with my client and finish the gift baskets for her Dad. She had left to make a trip to Hobby Lobby to look for some additional supplies we needed. I asked my youngest daughter if she could cut the Hobby Lobby trip short and go back to my block and try and figure out what was going on and whose house was on fire. She was the closest person I could send since Hobby Lobby was only a couple of miles from my home.
My oldest daughter was at work but she was also beginning to get phone calls. She left her job to investigate since she was getting calls from friends. "It's on your mother's block and it's big".
My oldest daughter was at work but she was also beginning to get phone calls. She left her job to investigate since she was getting calls from friends. "It's on your mother's block and it's big".
I got conflicting information, it was my house, no it was my neighbor's house, no it was two doors down, the smoke was just too thick for anyone to tell. My youngest daughter called and said the police would not let her on the block. I told her to park a block away and walk into the neighborhood.
After a 45 minute drive and much prayer, I arrived at the entrance to my street and it was blocked off. I asked the officials when we could get on the block if we lived there. They asked my name and address. I asked if it was my house. They told me no it was a different address. I sighed the biggest sigh of relief you can image!!
They walked over to a police officer and the police officer came back to my car. He asked me my address. I told him since I assumed he was just trying to keep the Lookie Lou's off the street and out of the way. He asked me to pull my car to the curb and put the car in park and turn off the engine. After I had completed the tasks, he opened my door and said he was going to help me out of the car. (Ok, I'm not that old!) Once he had assisted me out of the car, he said Mrs. S ......... it is your house. There is a curve in the street which made it impossible to see my house from where my car was parked. We rounded the curve and I could see all of the fire engines and firemen. Then I saw this...
They walked over to a police officer and the police officer came back to my car. He asked me my address. I told him since I assumed he was just trying to keep the Lookie Lou's off the street and out of the way. He asked me to pull my car to the curb and put the car in park and turn off the engine. After I had completed the tasks, he opened my door and said he was going to help me out of the car. (Ok, I'm not that old!) Once he had assisted me out of the car, he said Mrs. S ......... it is your house. There is a curve in the street which made it impossible to see my house from where my car was parked. We rounded the curve and I could see all of the fire engines and firemen. Then I saw this...
It was my house. Mine and three others....
