Stories from the Stringam Family Ranches of Southern Alberta

From the 50s and 60s to today . . .



Monday, February 3, 2014

Little Balls of Death

Warning: Use with caution...
“Gramma! Can we make some popcorn?”
Words so innocently uttered.
So casually agreed to . . .
Some of our grandchildren were over for the evening.
A movie was indicated. And what’s a movie without popcorn?
We are a popcorn family. We have a large, ‘theatre’ popper.
Fully capable of keeping up with the masses.
Gramma enjoys making it.
The kids enjoy watching.
Everyone enjoys eating.
It’s a perfect world.
But, sometimes, even perfection has its drawbacks . . .
The machine was in full pop. Kernels sizzling and swelling in the ‘cooker’.
Spilling out in a fluffy, white, delicious tide over the side and into the ‘hopper’.
Then . . . a tiny problem.
The twin lids over the cooker are merely metal flaps. Designed to hold in the hot, rocketing little explosive devices that are popcorn kernels. And to flip up as needed to let the deliciousness out.
One of these flaps got jammed open.
Little molten balls of death were spewing everywhere.
I had quickly ushered the assembled grandkids away.
And was approaching the machine, set on repairing the problem.
And that’s when it got me.
A sneaky little smoking-hot kernel.
And the term, ‘smoking hot’ is, in this case . . . not good.
It hit me above the collarbone, then proceeded to roll into my collar and from there, down under my shirt and into my bra.
Where it stayed as I tried, madly, to reach it.
The dance I performed is classic.
The blisters I have are noteworthy.
After things had calmed down, and noting my woebegone (Ooh! Good word!) expression, Husby decided to cheer me up with a story.
Of someone who had it far worse than me . . .
It was in high school shop class.
Husby and his fellow classmates were being taken, carefully, through the basics of welding.
“Remember, boys,” the teacher said in. “Never, ever, weld over your head!”
Now the consequences of such an action should have been obvious. 
Right
And they were obvious. Except to Monty.
A few days later, he was happily welding.
Directly over his head.
Now I probably don’t have to explain that the temperatures of metal and binding substances used during welding reach temperatures of 1200 (F) degrees. 648.889 (C)
Ummm . . . hot. Really, really hot.
A piece of slag dripped from his project and down the open collar of his shirt.
Where it formed a small ball of death and proceeded to roll - consuming skin, hair and anything else it encountered - down the boy’s body.
Lodging somewhere way too near his groin.
Wrong
Screaming, dancing and frantically shedding clothes, Monty finally retrieved the little purveyor-of-death and spilled it out onto the floor.
While his classmates, teen-aged boys all, laughed at his discomfort.
He and his appendages survived.
Though they sported some rather impressive scars.
Husby was right.
Suddenly my little popcorn kernel took on a whole diminished perspective.
I have seven little blisters.
I’m glad I wasn’t around to count Monty’s.

21 comments:

  1. Owie! Owie! Owie! This sounds like something I'd do, so you have my absolute sympathy.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. And yet I still love popcorn! We're just gluttons for punishment! :)

      Delete
  2. A cold shower might help ease the pain. At least you got the grands away from danger.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Blisters?! Amazing that a popcorn kernel could stay so hot. You have my sympathy.

    While I feel sorry for Monty, your recounting was hilarious :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I had no idea, either! I mean, I've been touched by one, but mercifully briefly. Sigh. Now we all know!

      Delete
  4. Funny story but OUCH!! I've gotten singed by kernels before and it is NO FUN!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Correction. Steel melts @ 2700 degrees F. I don't know what that is in Draft Dodger Dictator. A welding arc is usually around 10K degrees F. It burns quite well and fast. I know; I've been there and done that. Welded once in loose coveralls with nothing underneath but a pair of cutoffs. A clinker went down and into my gumboot. I still have the brand in the instep of my foot.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. YIKES!!! 2700?!!! Oh, well . . . after you get past 1000 it's hotter than I want to be close to . . .
      P.S. You're poor foot!!!

      Delete
  6. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  7. EEE---AAAA--I join you in your pain. Been there. Felt that!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. And I always thought of popcorn as the light and yummy snack. It's got bite!!!

      Delete
  8. Ouch! Sounds painful but does sound like something I might do!

    ReplyDelete
  9. OUCH!! I could FEEL it as I was reading this. OUCH!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Ouch! seven blisters!
    I have a scar high up on my inner arm, from when I was frying eggs for dinner one hot day, wearing a tank top. You know how the egg whites get all bubbly and spit a bit when the butter is hot under them? Well one tiny piece actually popped off the bubble and flew upwards landing on my tender inner arm. I brushed it off immediately and it took about five layers of skin with it. I slapped on a bag of frozen peas but it still blistered painfully. Now I wear something with sleeves when I fry anything.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yikes! Oh, that hurts just thinking about it! I'll remember that. Note to self: Dress neck to knees when frying anything . . .

      Delete
  11. Oh my gosh that was two hot stories to say the least. Nothing worse than burns; so I know the pain of at least the popcorn one and I don't think I want to think about the other one.
    Blessings for a good story!

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for visiting! Drop by again!

Real Estates: All Murders Included in the Price!

Real Estates: All Murders Included in the Price!
My FIRST murder mystery!

Blessed by a Curse

Blessed by a Curse
My very first Medieval Romance!

God's Tree

God's Tree
For the Children

Third in the series

Third in the series
Deborah. Fugitive of Faith

The Long-Awaited Sequel to Daughter of Ishmael

The Long-Awaited Sequel to Daughter of Ishmael
A House Divided is now available at all fine bookstores and on Amazon.com and .ca!

Daughter of Ishmael

Daughter of Ishmael
Now available at Amazon.com and .ca and Chapters.ca and other fine bookstores.

Romance still wins!

Romance still wins!
First romance in a decade!

Hosts: Your Room's Ready

Hosts: Your Room's Ready
A fun romp through the world's most haunted hotel!

Hugs, Delivered.

Compass Book Ratings

Compass Book Ratings

Ghost of the Overlook

Ghost of the Overlook
Need a fright?

My Granddaughter is Carrying on the Legacy!

My Granddaughter is Carrying on the Legacy!
New Tween Novel!

Gnome for Christmas

Gnome for Christmas
The newest in my Christmas Series

SnowMan

SnowMan
A heart warming story of love and sacrifice.

Translate

My novel, Carving Angels

My novel, Carving Angels
Read it! You know you want to!

My Second Novel: Kris Kringle's Magic

My Second Novel: Kris Kringle's Magic
What could be better than a second Christmas story?!

Join me on Maven

Connect with me on Maven

Essence

Essence
A scientist and his son struggle to keep their earth-shattering discovery out of the wrong hands.

Essence: A Second Dose

Essence: A Second Dose
Captured and imprisoned, a scientist and his son use their amazing discovery to foil evil plans.

Looking for a Great Read?

E-Books by Diane Stringam Tolley
Available from Smashwords.com

The Babysitter

The Babysitter
A baby-kidnapping ring has its eye on J'Aime and her tiny niece.

Melissa

Melissa
Haunted by her past, Melissa must carve a future. Without Cain.

Devon

Devon
Following tragedy, Devon retreats to the solitude of the prairie. Until a girl is dropped in his lap.

Pearl, Why You Little...

Pearl, Why You Little...
Everyone should spend a little time with Pearl!

The Marketing Mentress

The Marketing Mentress
Building solid relationships with podcast and LinkedIn marketing

Coffee Row

Coffee Row
My Big Brother's Stories

Better Blogger Network

Semper Fidelis

Semper Fidelis
I've been given an award!!!

The Liebster Award

The Liebster Award
My good friend and Amazing Blogger, Marcia of Menopausal Mother awarded me . . .

Irresistibly Sweet Award

Irresistibly Sweet Award
Delores, my good friend from The Feathered Nest, has nominated me!

Sunshine Award!!!

Sunshine Award!!!
My good friend Red from Oz has nominated me!!!

My very own Humorous Blogger Award From Delores at The Feathered Nest!

Be Courageous!


Grab and Add!

Search This Blog

Ghost of the Overlook

Ghost of the Overlook
Need a fright?