Setting the World On Fire

Pyromania: a mania for setting things on fire.

Sam and I have been waiting, impatiently I might add, to burn several piles of brush/cedar on the Back Forty. With the recent rains and cooler days, Friday evening offered the perfect set-up to torch some piles. Armed with a cooler of beer, diesel and a firestick (lighter) we set out to enjoy a "date night".

Sam has to keep me on a short leash when it comes to burning piles. Some women get a gleam in their eye when the word "shopping" is mentioned. I, on the other hand, become absolutely giddy when the word "fire" is mentioned. Marshall and I would fight over who got to strike the first match when burning the household trash. And then we would search for more stuff to throw in the burn barrel just to watch the flames.

Our house had a wood-burning fireplace in it which was the utlimate for a family of pyromaniacs. Dennis kept a small whisk broom on the hearth that was used to sweep up ashes. Marshall and I had a field day breaking off one straw at a time from the broom and playing in the fire with the pieces of straw. It wasn't until the broom was practically bald that Dennis figured out what we were doing. In Africa, Sam said the natives refer to watching a fire in a fire pit as "Bushman's TV". Fires are mesmerizing.

After lighting at least 15 piles on fire, I relinquished the firestick to Sam. He probably set at least 8 more piles on fire. I monitored the burning piles from the back of the pickup while drinking a cold beer. The sky was as clear as I have ever seen it. Caught a glimpse of some falling stars and watched the flames flicker and dance and listened to the cedar pop and crackle.

We got home and there was a message from the neighboring ranch wanting to know if we were the responsible party for "setting the world on fire". Guilty as charged and there are more piles to be burned......just waiting for the stars and planets to line up just right to ensure a safe burn time.