domestic violence

........ and the accidental arsonist

It's a happy morning and GL's chirpier than the pot-bellied, raccous birds on the pomegranate tree outside. "It's time for a bath.. tra la la" hums GL. "Gonna switch off the immersion coil.. tra la la" ( immersion rod: thats how GL heats water...) Switches it off. "... leave it on the newspaper stack... tra la la"... A hesitant finger feels the water... the weather's chill and the
water's nice and hot... GL's pleased... "tra la la..."

... GL's still humming to herself when warm drafts of air sneak in through the lower gap of the bathroom door and flood her feet in a mock embrace. "Something's not right...tra la la". Takes a peek outside the bathroom... And the sight takes GL's breath away... the stack of newspapers (on which GL had left the heating rod) is aflame in a riot of blue, red, orange and yellow. GL has turned the wrong switch off. The one housing the heating rod is still switched on!!!

A bunch of December elves celebrate the warmth in gay abandon around the bonfire. GL ignores them... and jumps into action... switches off the right switch this time around... and dumps an entire bucketload of water on the bonfire.

The elves sulk. The newspapers calm down without a whimper. The red-blue coil hisses with all its might. And GL readies herself with a second bucket of water. The coil-fire monster doesn't have in it to erupt again.

GL calms down too. The corridor's a mess. Flooded with water, burnt shreds of black float on water and in the air. The rescued stack sits wet and heavy against the wall, looking as shaken as GL. An acrid smell has filled the house. As GL turns to throw the windows open, the elves take a bow and do a disappearing act... not before they sing in unison... "tra la laaaa"