America on Fire

[IrishAyes]

22. You have a great batting average, Mr. Pitt - another home run with this.

One reason besides cost that I didn't retire in California, which I love overall, was not the earthquakes. You get used to those and learn to sleep straight through anything below 4 on the Richter scale. But those constant fires were too much to bear. When I was privileged to live out in the boonies, we had some big fire or other it seemed almost every other year. More than once I had to prepare to evacuate and that's not easy with horses to consider.

Anyway, we received some state help but all too often were left to fend strictly for ourselves. The last straw for me came when the few locals were busily following after the big planes to stamp out any hot spots. Just about everyone over the age of 10 turned out, we were so few. Then all of a sudden the volunteer fire captain got a radio call that the planes would not be returning again regardless of how bad the fire might get. They were needed for preventive measures to protect a wealthy enclave about 20 miles away.

We were on the verge of being wiped out, but those McMansions - many of them vacation homes for the wealthiest - had to be saved at all costs! I think we would've turned into real vigilantes right then if we'd had a guilty party within reach. Even my ex couldn't make me feel that abandoned and devalued.

Yes, there are more than enough problems where I retired, but burning to death is really low on my list of concerns here.