Burnin' Down the House
Originally uploaded by Barrett.

For years, whenever I've seen my living quarters from the freeway (no matter where those quarters might be) I've always imagined smoke and fire pouring out of the window.

So anyway, this morning as I was walking home from work, there was smoke everywhere. This is no big deal usually, because the Stora Enso Paper Mill is right by my house, and huge amounts of steam billow out of it constantly, especially in cold weather. But this was different. This stuff was right next to the ground. Cars on the street had to nearly stop as visibility was nonexistent.

Then I noticed that it was concentrated around my block, and that there were flashing lights there, too. I ran. I sprinted. In the subzero cold. My iPod still blaring. I couldn't help but think I had left the stove on when I prepared my prework meal.

But I am just paranoid. The smoke turned out to be just the usual paper-mill steam, which had momentarily drifted down to street level. The flashing lights were from a snow plow. I arrived at home a minute or so early, with a numb face and raspy, icy lungs.

It ain't easy bein' me.
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