I got back to my apartment last night and it was around 50 degrees. I thought the gas had gone out because there was no pilot light. I finally determined that for some mysterious reason, the pilot light blew out. I relit it and waited for the apartment to get warm.

Well, the pilot light went out again. I got a wood skewer and lit it, pointing it towards the pilot light. Well, don’t you know it, the main gas kicked on at that moment. Let’s go over this again. I have a stick with fire on it, in the area where a flammable gas is coming out in copious amounts.

There was a soft woomph, followed by a Ka-WOOSH, and a big tongue of flame came out and licked my face like a big St. Bernard. Finally, a big *BANG* that rattled the furnace and me too. A whole bunch of soot shot out all over me and the floor.

Thanks be to God that I didn’t even have a singed hair, and beyond having to clean out my shorts I was fine. I had the sensation of the flame on my face and in my nose for the rest of the night to remind me just what I had been through.

I thought you could use the laugh. And the warning.