How’d you spend your evening?

Well, this and an empty fire extinguisher are my souvenirs of an interesting night.

What happened? Sit back and relax.

Hubby and I were watching TV this evening. We heard a “WHOMP” outside. I thought for sure a car had wrecked, because we live on a two-lane road that people speed through all the time.

We look at each other and I go flying out the front door and around my car. Next door, I see a car in front of my neighbor’s house (it’s rural, so we’re not right on the road) with flames coming out of it.

I come running back inside to grab the fire extinguisher from the kitchen, and I tripped before the carport (result pictured), scrambled to my feet, hit the door screaming at Hubby to call 911, tell them car engulfed, we need fire department asap, don’t know if anyone’s inside. Ran into the kitchen, grabbed the extinguisher, ran back out and next door.

There’s a guy stopped, staring at the car. I’m yelling at him if he’s the driver, if anyone was inside it, etc. as I’m running over. I saw flames in the passenger compartment, but none under the engine.

(Note: My dad was a fireman for years. We had plenty of accidents on the curve in front of my house growing up. And I was a mechanic for several years. So I know my shit. Also, I was a trained rescue diver, so thinking under extreme duress isn’t usually a problem. However, my lack of coordination, apparently, is. LOL)

The passenger window was either blown or broken, so I shoot the fire extinguisher into the passenger compartment to see if I can knock it down enough to tell if anyone’s inside. The door was locked, so I can’t get it open. I can tell there’s no one in the passenger seat but can’t see the driver side. I run around, that’s locked too, but didn’t look like anyone in the seat.

I go back around and empty the extinguisher inside as much as I can, still can’t see anyone inside it. My neighbor, awakened by I guess me screaming and the fire, comes out with a flashlight and a dead kitchen extinguisher. (Yeah, I know.)

At this point, all we can do is pull back and wait. I was afraid if it went up it might take the power line out above it.

It kicks up again, so we pull back farther. Hillsborough County deputies finally arrive, and then a fire truck. They got it knocked down and said it didn’t look like anyone was inside it.

By this time, I’m realizing how badly my knees (especially the right) are fucked up and plop my fat ass down on the ground. (That’s the fastest I’ve run in a while. LOL) Deputy took our info, got in touch with the owner who is at another location, with the keys. My guess is either it was jacked and torched, or insurance. Because the WHOMP Hubby and I heard obviously wasn’t from a car flipping, and the only other sound I can associate it with is an explosion.

So as I write this now, it’s being loaded on a flatbed. Which Hubby might need to get my ass out of bed tomorrow.

I’m on the couch with an ice pack on my right knee (it’s swollen and will probably be a beautiful shade of ouch tomorrow).