A couple, whom we shall call John and Mary, had a nice
home and two lovely children, a boy and a girl. John
had a good job and had just been asked to go on a
business trip to another city and would be gone for
several days. It was decided that Mary needed an
outing and would go along too. They hired a reliable
woman to care for the children and made the trip,
returning home a little earlier than they had planned.
As they drove into their home town feeling glad to be
back, they noticed smoke, and they went off their
usual route to see what it was. They found a home in
flames. Mary said, "Oh well it isn't our fire, let's
go home."
But John drove closer and exclaimed, "That home
belongs to Fred Jones who works at the plant. He
wouldn't be off work yet, maybe there is something we
could do." "It has nothing to do with us." Protested
Mary. "You have your good clothes on lets not get any
closer."
But John drove up and stopped and they were both
horror stricken to see the whole house in flames. A
woman on the lawn was in hysterics screaming, "The
children! Get the children!" John grabbed her by the
shoulder saying, "Get a hold of yourself and tell us
where the children are!" "In the basement," sobbed the
woman, "down the hall and to the left."
In spite of Mary's protests John grabbed the water
hose and soaked his clothes, put his wet handkerchief
on his head and bolted for the basement which was full
of smoke and scorching hot. He found the door and
grabbed two children, holding one under each arm like
the football player he was. As he left he could hear
some more whimpering. He delivered the two badly
frightened and nearly suffocated children into waiting
arms and filled his lungs with fresh air and started
back asking how many more children were down there.
They told him two more and Mary grabbed his arm and
screamed, "John! Don't go back! It's suicide! That
house will cave in any second!"
But he shook her off and went back by feeling his way
down the smoke filled hallway and into the room. It
seemed an eternity before he found both children and
started back. They were all three coughing and he
stooped low to get what available air he could. As he
stumbled up the endless steps the thought went through
his mind that there was something strangely familiar
about the little bodies clinging to him, and at last
when they came out into the sunlight and fresh air, he
found that he had just rescued his own children.
The baby-sitter had left them at this home while she
did some shopping.
