Fire and a Freak of Luck

30 July, 2003 - Driving to work today took me past a dramatic fire in downtown East St. Louis, IL. One of the abandoned brick buildings in the middle of the row near the MetroLink stop at Fifth and Missouri was sending out a plume of greasy brown smoke, while fire engines shot jets of water and the police cordoned off the roads. There was the small fire engine stationed behind the building which all the MetroLink riders would have gotten close view of, then the larger fire engine and the crane in front, firing down through the collapsed roof. It looked as if the fire would soon be out.

Coming home was merely normal: the usual traffic accident, construction and stupid drivers cutting one another off. The light was flashing on my answering machine: St.Louis Public Library calling to say I've won two tickets to a Cardinal's game.