I think this story is appropriate at a time of grief in my brother Ronald’s family. It is a small story but Ronald’s actions helped all of us and our home stay safe. This happened the very day the attached picture of Ronald was taken. Perhaps he remembers. I did not. But David remembered, and this is what he told me.
David said I was the one who took the picture the morning in 1952 (I think) when Ronald was home on leave from the air force. This was several years before the old house was replaced. We had no electricity and no running water. We burned kerosene lamps for light. Apparently on this morning, we had neglected to “blow out” the lamps and left one burning.
Immediately after the picture was snapped, David said Mom shouted for him to get out of the house! A lamp was on fire! The wick of a lamp had burned too low, allowing the flame itself to get into the kerosene. This created a fire that could explode and/or catch the house on fire. When Ronald heard Mom screaming, he ran into the house and grabbed the lamp. David said that Mom told me to hold the door open while Ronald went running outside. David said Ronald threw the lamp on the ground right near the little bush you can see in the bottom left of the picture.
We’re all grateful for Ronald’s actions, and we are grateful that David remembered.