Chasing Fires

In my little hometown, when we heard the siren blow at the Fire Station we hopped on our bikes and beetled into town to see where the fire was. It was written on a blackboard on the outside of the station so all the volunteer firemen would know where to go. This was, of course, pre-cell phone, and few had CB’s. If the fire was at a house within a few miles, we would bicycle there to watch.

But, we had a dump where they burned the trash and at least 50% of the time the blackboard just said “Dump.” Often we knew this already, because the dump was at the end of our street, so we would have met the fire truck coming our way about the time we made it to town.

Today as I drove back into Pittsboro from the south side of town about 4:40, I saw a huge chimney spewing gray smoke, except this was not a chimney. It was the clock tower of the courthouse, covered in scaffolding and wrapped in thick white insulation. And I thought, "this does not look good." No fire trucks, no sirens, only one police car, and a massive billowing of foreboding smoke. As I came closer people came out of doors and cars to look, cell phones to their ears, and one man came rushing by with a black bag. I’d like to think he had medical supplies in there.

I had the urge to call and tell someone. Who might want to see this, who would not want to miss this tragic show unfold? But I didn't know if I knew any other fire chasers and was afraid the response would be something like..."why on earth would I want to see that?"

So I went about my business, skirted the courthouse, and made it across town to the car wash. As I vacuumed the carpets and hosed the dirt from my car the town filled up with smoke and putrid fumes, and I came home.

A friend called to ask if I knew about the fire. She was watching it on TV and said the courthouse roof was now ablaze.

I guess I was right.

Not good at all.

As I write this I realize the smell has followed me home, but the sky and the air here, three miles from town, are still clear. I have brought this sadness home on my clothes and my hair.

By now the media is covering every detail.

And I can move on to making supper and feeding hungry cats and dog.