WASP WHAT YOU'RE DOING

The firemen positioned their hoses on the front of the house, while my father and his partner went around back to find a safe entrance. Finding the back clear, they entered through the kitchen door. Much to their surprise, an elderly lady cooking lunch while her even more "mature" husband read the newspaper at the table. The lady looked up from her pan and the man forgot his paper as the two men in turnouts burst through the kitchen door. The very surprised gentleman asked if there was anything wrong. Dad, informed them the house was on fire and they needed to promptly leave.

To his chagrin the man answered "I know."

The lady nodded in agreement, asked if they were hungry and proceeded to set a place for them. Dad, once again informed them the house was on fire and insisted they leave before anyone got hurt.

"I know," was the frustrated reply, "I had a nest of wasp nests up in the corner of the porch. I set 'em afire with good ole gasoline to get rid of them for good. It should be out anytime now."

At this time, smoke from the front room was rolling back into the kitchen. Sounds of glass breaking in the front room was audible in the back.

The wife turned to her husband, gathered her composure and scurried out the back door. Her husband was speechless, not sure what had happened, he "did this all the time."

Outside dad examined the two and when satisfied they suffered no physical damage, gave them the all clear.

Needless to say, the lady was none too amused at her husband's exterminating skills. Dad said she spouted off obscenities to her husband and something about him "trying to take care of it himself."

The poor man had nothing to say, be he embarrassed or disheartened.

The house suffered damage only to the porch, the front room and two rooms upstairs.

They returned to the house a few weeks and it no longer had a wasp problem.