House Fire Scenario

[Straight Shooter]

Part Three.

Its now late November, snow and very cold....two gas fires , and the loss adjusters are still hanging on waiting for us to cave in and except a stupid offer..... its been nearly 3 months of total shit coming from all directions....OD has gone , i am in a filling station...hello SS heard about the fire how you getting on pal ? Freezing my bollocks off along with the wife n kids ...laughing...you are not still in that caravan are you ? OH YES....walking to my van...HOLD UP !.....i have just bought ty coed farm , our old house is ready if you want to move in....there are beds and furniture call it 25 quid a week......you on the level ? john.....of coarse i am....throws me the keys.....have a look..if you like slide straight in....we will worry about money in the new year...that was about 10 am ....by 4 pm we were in....kids are excited their own bedroom, a table and chairs we can all eat at the same time together....wife rolled her sleeves up to deep clean....something that did not need it....the windows old and draughty but this was heaven....in the kitchen lived an old wood burning range with two ovens and heated the hot water, we brought the portable gas fire with us......i fixed up the front and rear doors that were falling apart, some sort of normality and routine returned to our lives.

Its the day before Christmas eve, i have paid all suppliers , bought the Christmas food ( no drink MB ) everyone had presents...i had been working every spare hour at the house (with the crew ) and a new recruit TONY....the roof was stripped right off , all debris was gone or burnt....up i go just to check things over....the day before we laid the reclaimed bricks up to wall plate level and changed lintels , the boys were there....wtf are you lot doing? i thought you said see you in the new year ? ......WELL its like this....we were in the pub sinking some and Ivor pie n chips came in for a swift one ...he asked after you...we said you needed some sand and chippings ....and 4" x 2" wall plate timber....he said he,ll be back in an hour so that,s why we are here....with that we could hear a beep ....beep....beep crackling sound as ivor pie n chips reversed the 16 wheeler up the drive while cutting the hedges both sides....where do you want it ! boyo,s anywhere you like ivor says titchy.....i got two more loads for ewe....what do you want more sand or chippings ....both ivor ....where,s the fucking timber ivor....on the back of hear you blind bastard...two packs of ten 16 ft ..and more on the next two......its fucking Christmas see boyo,s ...by the time ivor got back we had bedded the wall plate on the house by 4 pm 48 tons and eight packs of 4" x 2" was on site ....poor old ivor moved on years back but we all remember ivor and he kindness and often speak of him even now. Coming for a pint ? ....no boys i am all out...fuck you do not need cash you silly bastard Chris blasts.....no no boys you have done enough....are you working tomorro ...no i finished this morning ...why do you need a hand with something......oh aye we do ...well okay i,m up ....will pick you up a 5 am.....5 am ? aye 5 am... okay 5 am it is....later that day the split was £120 a piece at the scrap yard..... that,s all i will say on that one....think commandos and one para fucking nutter bastard.....who dares gets pissed......Christmas and new year were fantastic times for us all...then back to the grind stone....its Friday and i am beat and knackered...bed by 10 pm ....

I awake .....my head is bumping and thick....i took a few moments..i lift my head look over at the mirror facing me on the wardrobe.....i blink ...take another look.....i have black smudges under my nose.....odd ...nothing to drink .....odd....look over at the wife she has the same....i wake her up....oh my head she says...i lay there for a moment ...she said what,s on your nose...what about your nose ...we both sit up and look.....THE KIDS we both shout...i am through the door into the kids bedroom where i find the same but not as bad as us ....they are playing and asking what,s the matter daddy......the fault........the old cooking range flue was blocked .....the silent killer carbon monoxide nearly had us.......NO SMOKE OR MOMOXIDE alarms to warn us....the two smoke alarms were left in the caravan...big help huh ...those draughty windows saved us i am certain, they say troubles come in three,s ....well sure enough they actually do....i am proof ....i am also proof of being a complete idiot also.

So take this with you as you go along the road of living your life...YOU have RESPONSIBILITIES to YOU and THOSE you LOVE around YOU ....tell my tale to everyone you love and even hate....go buy some smoke alarms and better still CM monitors ...change the batteries regular...after two years change them for new ones.....have a escape plan that you all know....have a means of escape via windows ....or a sledge hammer handy....if the worst happens GET OUT.....STAY OUT....i hope this was worth the time...

The loss adjusters gave ground in early February...but they are still and remain total BASTARDS .

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Before i forget....where i am now typing....the fire was directly over my head.