Smoke and Rain

This afternoon I rode the train upstate 1 hour to stay at the home of some dear friends who are away for a bit. I packed three good books and a small acoustic guitar, journals, some Larabars and a change of clothes. It's the first time Ive stayed in this place, their previous home is nextdoor, up the hill a bit. Arriving by cab from the station, I was relieved the door key they left for me worked. It was rainy, approaching sundown. Perfectly cosy, and every bit as romantic as my friend had described, I was stunned at how quiet the sweet old carriage house was. I wrote to Kyle "its so quiet here!" I wrote to the friends whose house it is "thankyou so much!! its so quiet! im so happy!" I IMMed with their son "im at your ma and pa's ! its so cool!".
I was downstairs reading a magazine and thought why am I still wearing my coat? I'm cold and the heat doesn't seem to be kicking in. I went upstairs.
Oh the fireplace! Of course. There was newspaper scrunched under the log - all ready to go. I lit a match and threw it towards the back of the fireplace. Can you see where this is going?
Somehow I've escaped 30 years without learning about flues - opening up the chimney. It was really really scary. First I stared at the little bit of smoke escaping above the mantle "Is this normal?" I was thinking. Then I realised there was smoke hanging around the roof, and spreading out and down. Then there was a lot of smoke in the house. Alot. THe alarm went off, crazy drama alarm like in the movies - "BEEP BEEP BEEP FIRE ON THIRD FLOOR FIRE ON THIRD FLOOR" The feeling was not unlike a nightmare. Terrified, I ran around opening windows and doors. It felt really dangerous to be in smoke that thick. I tried calling my friends who own the house, then the neighbour. I could barely speak. The home phone rang, and it was the Fire Dept. Then the trucks arrived, and the people in huge crazy fire suits came to deal with it and rushed me downstairs.
The neighbour was so comforting while I cried and paced. She and I saw the flaming logs being hurled out on to the wet grass from the window above.
The firemen said that the flue was open, and that there was something wrong with the chimney, which makes no sense because I didn't open it. Weirdly, I don't think they know about flues because now that Im an expert, I can say it seemed shut to me. Anyway, it was nice to have so many people in uniforms tell me it was all going to be OK.
The lovely neighbour told me to come up the hill and stay at her house, and that's where I am. We both smelled like bushfire. The house is airing out. I felt like orphan Annie with my dress and peacoat and suitcase.