Random Story – The burning bush

This is just an odd little story from my life.

Years ago, I lived in this apartment complex.  I’m a bit of a night owl, and I would often take a walk around the complex late at night/early morning to clear my head or think through some story elements.  Anyway, one night, it was probably around midnight, I turned a corner and started down this parking area, and I saw something flickering at the end.  It took a bit to figure out, but I eventually realized that one of the decorative bushes at the entrance to the parking area was on fire.  It might not have been that big a deal, but this bush was right next to an electric pole. 

Now, cell phones were a thing then, but I didn’t have one.  So I scrambled for several minutes trying to find someone with a light on.  I eventually found an apartment, and told them to call the fire department because a bush was on fire.  Now, their apartment didn’t face the fire, and I think English was their second language, but I got the point across. 

I went back to the bush, and a couple guys joined me.  By now, the fire had mostly burned out, and they stomped most of it out.  A couple minutes later, a cop pulled in, and he had a fire extinguisher and put it out.  He figured someone threw their cigarette in there and it was dry enough to burn, although it might have been smoldering for hours.  A couple minutes later, a firetruck pulled in, and they gave it a quick hose down to really make sure it was out.

So that’s my story of encountering a burning bush.