The growth of young pine trees grew to one side and the back of the brick parsonage. That was our playground. The trees were limber enough to use as catapults. We’d pull the top of a tree down, climb aboard and launch. It was a relatively short flight and sometimes ended in a crash landing. The trees weren’t big enough to choke out the undergrowth. Blackberry vines along with other thorn bushes and broom straw grew unrestrained. The lingering heat from summer helped to make the broom straw dry and combustible.
We often made forts out of broom straw and sticks. One day we were out playing, and two of my brothers devised a brilliant plan. They would take turns starting a fire and see which one could let it burn the longest before putting it out. My sister, just two years older than me, and I were with them playing in the growth of trees and brush. One brother lit a match to ignite the broom straw then proceeded to stomp it out. The next one took his turn. He let it burn a little bit longer before stomping it out. The fires burned longer each time as the game continued.
When it was my youngest brother’s turn again, he lit a fire and waited and waited and waited. The fire spread quickly. He stomped and stomped. My other brother and sister started stomping. I was little, and I was barefooted. I just watched. When it was apparent the fire was out of control, they took off running to the house. I was scared to death. I froze in my steps. I could not move. One of brothers came back for me. He grabbed me up under his arm and headed to the house. He was my hero!
By the time I got to the house, Mama already knew what was going on. She got on the phone to call for help. About that time, a neighbor was coming down the road on his tractor. He came to the rescue and started cutting a fire break. Mama said, “You girls go make some cookies.” Mama’s response to anything was to stay busy. I’m sure she wanted to take our minds off the fire. I was scared, and she knew it. She went outside, and my sister and I made cookies. I kept going to the door looking out the window to make sure the fire wasn’t coming any closer.
Other neighbors came and helped. I wanted to see what was going on, but at the same time I thought our house would burn down. I just knew the fire would come into the yard, creep up to the house and burn it to ashes. Thanks to our neighbors, it wasn’t long before everything was under control. I rested a bit easier and was thankful for them and for my hero!
Cookie, anyone?