Off-Duty Car Fire

I was driving by a small store/gas station yesterday afternoon when I noticed smoke and flames coming out from under its hood and from under the car itself. There were two or three teenagers running around it frantically, opening the hood, then closing it, then opening it - apparently unsure what, exactly, to do.

I pulled in, hustled into the store and asked for a fire extinguisher. Both young women behind the counter gaped at me in bewilderment.

"There's a car on fire outside, by your gas pumps," I explained, hoping to break their stuporous spell. "I really think a fire extinguisher would be good."

They continued staring.

"Do you have a fire extinguisher?" I asked, a little more loudly. I dunno, maybe people just think the extinguishers are there for decoration.

The spell broke. Both girls moved into the back of the store. I followed. One came up with an extinguisher and passed it on to me. It worked like a charm, and I knocked down the fire in no time. (Anyone remember the pictures from fire extinguisher training?)

The kids that owned the car were grateful, and bewildered about the source of the fire. I left them the half-used extinguisher and went back into the store. One of the clerks had the fire department on the line. "Is it out?" she asked.

"Yes."

"Do we need the fire department?"

I wanted to strut around proudly and say, "Baby, you've GOT the fire department right here!" But I just shook my head. "Nope. It's out."

I didn't stick around to see what happened next. I had places to go and things to do.

The life of a superhero is a busy one, after all.