There was a story on the news recently about an elderly couple who died in a fire in their home. Very sad -- he was 88 and she was 89 and apparently they didn't have children or any family at all.
What complicated the efforts of the firefighters was the fact that their front door had been nailed shut from the inside.
Apparently they were so concerned about people possibly breaking in that they didn't consider they might want to get out or that, in case of emergency, personnel they'd want to see might be trying to get in.
Adding fuel to the fire was an incredible amount of clutter, "stuff" if you will. Not only didn't they care to get out, but they didn't want their stuff escaping either.
The neighbors had mixed reviews for this couple. One man said he sort of tried to look out for them. Someone else said they were mean spirited.
Fact is, it's really hard to tell people how to live. Try to get someone committed or removed from their home "for their own good" and you're going to run into a stone wall of legalities designed to prevent just that.
How does it happen that your life spirals into holing up in your home and trying to keep your debris safe?
I watch the stuff I've accumulated carefully. And I keep my eye on my hammer and nails in case I am moved to provide myself with the ultimate protection.
1 comment:
For some reason I find it comforting to nail my shoes to the floor each evening when I get home from work.
Never know when someone will punk'd you with a false alarm.
I try my damnest to negate any pavlovian responses I might have in any circumstance. Better dead than look foolish I say.
"I'm no fool no siree, I'm gonna live til I'm 103..." (okay Moons here's a litttle test for ye, what disney character sang those words)
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