The House Fire

“Hey Jake!” called Midge as she strolled up the sidewalk to the porch. “What are you doing?”

“Hi Midge,” greeted Jake. “I'm resting. My owner just left for work. What are you doing?”

“Are we going to go to the park today?” asked Midge.

“Where's Booker-T?” asked Jake. “Isn't he coming too?”

“He will be here shortly,” said Midge. “He was waiting for his owner to leave too.”

“Must be a late day for everyone,” laughed Jake.

“Mine was early going to work today,” said Midge. “I sat and talked with Gabby before checking on Booker-T. He said to come on here and he would come soon as he could.”

“Have you seen Gabby?” asked Jake. “He hasn't been around for a couple of days.”

“I haven't seen him either,” said Midge. “Maybe he is busy with his girlfriend, Polly.”

“Maybe,” agreed Midge. “Here comes Booker-T now.”

“Hi guys,” said Booker-T.

“Hi Booker-T,” said Jake and Midge.

“Do you want to go to the park?” asked Jake.

“I would like to go see the new fire station we have near the school,” said Midge.

“Oh yes,” said Jake. “We haven't been over there since they build the new station. Lets go see what it looks like.”

“Lets go,” smiled Booker-T.

The three strolled out the gate and along the sidewalk to the school neighborhood. Across the street from the school was the new fire station with a big red truck parked inside. They were about to cross the street to take a closer look when the sirens went off and they saw the firemen hurrying to the truck. They stood and watched as the ambulance pulled out with the fire truck behind it. Behind the fire truck a police car followed along.

“Want to go see where they are going?” asked Jake.

“Lets go see,” said Midge. “I hope no one's house is burning. That would be terrible.”

“I know,” said Jake. “I hope not.”

“I saw a little store burn one time and it's so bad,” said Booker-T. “The smell of smoke and seeing the flames burning down something nice.”

“Hurry,” said Jake.

They ran along the sidewalk trying to keep up with the fast moving fire truck. The turned the corner and saw that they were heading toward Jake's neighborhood.

“Oh Jake,” said Midge. “They are going to your neighborhood. I hope it is not your house.”

“Me too,” said Jake as he hurried faster and faster to see where they were going.

“Oh, look Jake,” said Booker-T. “It is the house up the street from you. Isn't that were Misty lived?”

“She used to live there, but the family moved out two months ago,” said Jake.

“Is there anyone living there now?” asked Midge.

“The people just moved in two weeks ago,” said Jake. “But no one has been there for a week. I think they went on vacation somewhere. I saw them put suitcases in the car one morning when I was walking to your house.”

“It is sad that their house is burning, but I'm glad no one was there to get hurt,” said Midge.

“Oh, the fire is so big,” said Booker-T. “The people will be so sad to come home and see that their house is burned.”

“I know it,” said Jake. “My owner's brother lost a house two years ago and they had to find another one.”

“What happened?” asked Midge.

“Their little boy was playing with matches and accidently caught the bed on fire and he didn't say anything to his mom til it was too late. He just ran out of the house. When his mom saw the flames and smelled the smoke, she called the fire department and they came, but it was too late to save the house.”

“That is so sad,” said Booker-T. “Why was the little boy playing with matches?”

“I don't know,” said Jake.

“Don't they know that matches are bad,” said Midge.

“They really aren't bad,” said Jake. “But they can be bad in the wrong hands.”

“Wow,” said Midge. “Look at the flames shooting out of the roof.”

“I hope they hurry and get the fire put out,” said Booker-T. “The flames are really high.”

“Look!” said Jake. “They are shooting all that water on it.”

“Lets sit here and watch,” said Midge. “I never saw a fireman put water on a fire before. That is a big water hose. I think it is bigger than my owner's water hose.”

“They need more water to fight a big fire,” said Jake. “I don't think our little hoses would do as good.”

“They will be good for small fires but a big one like this would be hard to do with a small hose I think,” said Booker-T.

“I think so too,” said Jake.

“Why is the ambulance here too if no one is home?” asked Midge.

“I think the ambulance goes out to all the fires to help if the firemen need him,” said Jake.

“Oh,” said Midge. “I didn't think about them needing the ambulance.”

“I think fighting the fires is dangerous sometimes,” said Jake.

“I guess you are right,” said Booker-T. “Look the fire is almost out. I don't see the flames anymore.”

“Oh, that is good,” smiled Jake. “The new owners won't be happy when they come home to see their house burned. They just bought the house.”

“Now your neighborhood smells like smoke,” said Midge. “I hope the smell will go away.”

“I think so,” said Jake. “Maybe after a nice rain comes, it will wash the air and the smoke won't smell anymore.”

“Look,” said Booker-T. “There is a hole in the roof now,”

“Oh,” said Midge. “If it rains now, everything inside will get wet.”

“I think it is too late for that,” said Jake. “Everything is already wet from the fire hose.”

“Oh, I forgot about that,” laughed Midge. “I think you are right.”

“Everyone is leaving,” said Booker-T. “I guess they are all done with the fire.”

“I think so,” sighed Midge. “I just think it is sad that the house was on fire.”

“I know,” said Jake. “A fire is so bad sometimes. It is good when you have a fire to keep warm or to cook something. But this kind of fire is not good.”

“I wonder why it caught fire,” said Booker-T.

“I don't know,” said Jake. “I think different things cause fires.”

“Lets go to your house Jake,” said Midge. “I'm hungry.”

The three hurried up the road to Jake's house to find something to eat.