Fri, 14 Mar 1997 11:06:15
I'm a bit sleep deprived this morning myself. Around 3 am last night I was awakened by on-going sirens to the point where I decided that there must be an air raid - not a fire. Did you have air raid drills when growing up? The small town I grew up oin just west of Toronto did. There was a huge siren mounted on a tower on the grounds of my public school. They'd test that thing every year or so. Funny that although I did not grow up in war times, I still have the fear in me of the air raid.
I looked out the window to see billowing black smoke filling half the pane. Wow.. I thought. Out th eback I could see flames profiling the house behind mine, flames and sparks. That really made me worry. After waking up a couple of friends to tell them, I got dressed and out I went. 3 minutes from my front door were 6 newly built townhouses up in flames just 2 blocks north.
I ended up on a roof top of a cafe on Yonge Street watching the fire crews on their high ladders trying to save the rest of the row. And there was a storm coming in full speed - I bet you have seen the effects of the icestorm that currently creates out in our lovely Toronto streets almost complete gridlock. The winds were changing direction, and the fire fanned higher. Several photographers were on the roof top as well. We had out lawn chairs and were hoping hte winds wouldn't turn towards us. Several bar flies wee there too.
I ended up in a CoffeeTime an hour later chilled to the bone with several reporters and the photographers. Their "war stories" entertained me for another hour. Around five thrity I ended up trying to fall asleep once again.
So that was my evening. I have a standing invitation to tour with a Sun reporter in the future. I guess they thought I was some sort of accident groupy. Maybe I am.