Getting Gassed

After working until 7 pm waiting for the arrival of our itinerate social worker, I headed home for dinner. I had just headed up some fabulous oriental shrimp soup when I realized my forehead felt like it was going to explode. I attempted to stand up and staggered over to the sink.

"Oh my God! My house is full of carbon monoxide!!" Grasping the walls and furniture I opened the two windows in my house.

My thoughts screamed, "Georgia, get out and get some fresh air." Immediately I headed for my back porch, which is the furthest away from the city's generator that is shooting its fumes directly at my house. Thinking I would soon be safe, I stepped out onto my porch. "Noooooooo!" I was surrounded with those deadly fumes.

Down the stairs and off to the mayor's house. The mayor was in bed sick.

"I'm being poisoned. My house is full of diesel fumes. I've got a splitting headache and am so dizzy I can barely walk."  His wife and a female walked down to check things out. As my dizziness dissipated, I walked out to join them.

"Can you smell it?"

"Yes. It is pretty bad out here in the street."

"Look at that exhaust pipe. It shoots right across the street at my house. Those old single pane windows leak like crazy. My house is full of diesel fumes. I'm scared to sleep there tonight. I may not wake up in the morning."

"Your right. Can you sleep in the school?"

"I'll have to because I'm not sleeping in my house. What really scares me is what if the wind changes and blows at my house while I'm asleep? I could die while I'm sleeping! Something has to be done about the direction of the exhaust."

Well, two days later there is an extension up into the air so it is not aimed directly at my house.