Usually that's what happens, isn't it? Things we know and use every day just fade away until we can't use them anymore. Not the case this time. Not the case at all. And, given everyone else's vehicular trials and tribulations of late, I anticipate you'll appreciate this.
It was about 2:00 a.m. and I'm still working on some proposals. Well, not quite working at that time - more like watching some TV. Anyway, I hear this horn or siren in the background. I mute the TV and start my way to the front door.
I open the front door and - wait - the sound is coming from my truck in the driveway. And, look! The right front turn signal is flashing and the tail lights are on. Oops...that's great! My car alarm system is going off. WAIT! I don't have a car alarm system....
I get to the truck and open the driver's door (still wondering why the car alarm I don't have is going off) and the windows are clogged up (gee, a lot of dew for this time of the morning) and smoke comes pouring out of the cab. I take a few steps back, look in and see fire dripping from behind the steering wheel and under the dashboard. Fire? FIRE? FIRE!!!!!
K, first thought...open the hood and unplug the battery. I do that - reaching my arm/hand into the cab cautiously (the fire isn't that big yet).
Now I turn and run back into the house to get the fire extinguisher. I run in and yell to to my wife (three times cause she has to wake up). She realizes what's going on and calls 911. I am frantically looking for the fire extinguisher.
The wife gets off the phone with 911 and helps me look for the extinguisher. It's not where it's supposed to be (of course with us, anywhere within shouting distance is the "right spot" - but more on that later). 30-45 seconds later, she tells me that I'm not going anywhere near the truck - fire extinguisher or no fire extinguisher. I look outside and find out why - the truck is engulfed in flames.
Now we can do nothing but stand behind the door and watch the truck go up in flames - hoping that the gas tank doesn't explode blowing out the windows in the house and who knows what else. We wait...and wait...and wait. Of course, our 5 year old daughter wants to see this too. Fire is an amazing thing to watch.
Several minutes go by - it felt like an eternity - and still no fire trucks. The wife calls 911 again to explain that it's now out of control and find out when the firepeople (pc here although they were all male firepeople when they did arrive) would get here. The nice 911 operator explained that they will get here as soon as they can but they haven't mastered flying yet.
More waiting - but then a person comes running across the front of the house. Who is that? A neighbor from up the street coming to tell us our truck is on fire. Yes, we know. Yes, we called. Yes, he had nothing better to do at 2:15 a.m. after he got done stringing his Christmas lights than to drive 1/2 a block and come wake us up or watch the fire (he didn't know we were up even though all the lights we on in the house by this time).
The thing I don't understand is why he parked on the far side of the truck and came in front of the house within 10 feet of a flaming out of control truck fire to the front door. He could have gone farther down the street and back towards the house. Maybe he was afraid the truck would explode as he drove by? He obviously was not so afraid as to come within a few feet of the flaming Alaskamobile. Maybe he was afraid for our family and didn't quite think about it. For that, I have to thank him. It's not everyone that would go out of their way to help. And yes, this is in East Cobb!
Finally, the firefighters arrive. By now the rear tires are popping - yes popping, as in going flat. Flames are shooting 6-8 feet in the air above the truck. And it's a fine night for a fire, too. Clear, not too cold, a slight breeze in the air.
It takes them a while but they do get the fire out. No explosions, but something magnesium fell out of the cab of the truck near the end providing us with a nice fireworks display. The head firefighter later remarked that he didn't know they put magnesium in Fords...last magnesium car fire he saw was in a Volkswagen - Magnesium blocks, he said.
Okay. Things are quiet again. My 5 year old was up and was going to stay up for a while. Time to watch Cartoon Network (gee, I wish they had that when I was a kid!). My daughter asked, "Daddy, where's the remote?"
Now the hunt was on. Where was the remote for the TV? I remember using it to mute the TV when I heard the horn. But, it's nowhere to be found (our next TV is a Magnavox!). We searched throughout the house. It was then my wife wondered if I took it outside when I went to investigate the horn blowing. I didn't think so - but in all the excitement, who knows?
I grabbed the flashlight. My wife and daughter followed me outside, too. We can stand losing the truck to flames, but the remote too? ARGH - we couldn't lose the remote!
I stare down into the ashed remains of what once was my brand new white 1985 Ford 4x4 Ranger - one of the best and more reliable friends in Alaska. And what am I thinking...did I leave the remote on the seat? Of course, there was no sign of it in what was left of the cab. Everything melted. Everything. But if it was in there, shouldn't I see the burnt batteries?
I decided to retrace my steps. I opened the cab door. I pulled the hood latch. I went to the front of the truck to open the hood. The car is 3 feet in front of the truck. I shine the flashlight on the trunk of the car and there, in all it's glory, is the TV remote. It's wet. It doesn't work because it's wet. But we didn't lose the remote after all.
Was there anything in the truck that we regret losing? No..actually not. My daughter's stroller and car seat were in the back. Oh, and the shelled remains of the battery charger are in the truck bed along with our melted spare tire.
It could have been worse it could have been parked in the garage!. My wife and daughter could have been in the truck on the freeway when the truck started on fire. It could have been parked next to the car and burned up the car with it. It could have exploded and blasted out windows. My daughter could have been playing around it like she always liked to do. Anything...but in this case, it was simply time for my old friend to move on.
Yes, it's better to burn out than fade away. Normally, we hold on to our dogs, cats and cars until they are way past their prime. We work hard and spend a lot of money keeping them going until it's just no longer possible. And, truth be told, we would have done the same thing with the truck. After seven 50 below winters, the 7100 mile trip from Alaska, and all the special memories the last 10 years with that vehicle have brought, the only thing we ought to do is keep holding on.
My daughter, on the other hand, won't have to sit in the middle anymore. Oh, and the fire extinguisher? It's at the office - we needed it to pass the city inspection several months ago and forgot to replace it.