Darla Stories...9-1-1 Edition - origin

Last week … I guess with the Swine flu scare and the flood and all … I completely forgot the weekly Darla Stories. I have been telling my 9-1-1 stories and thought perhaps I should now take you back to where it all began. You know, my earliest memory of needing emergency services.

And that is not to say that I have told you all of my own personal 9-1-1 stories, but I think I have told you all I’m going to tell because, well … some of them don’t need to be repeated.

But way back when … I was probably in the 7th grade … my family did need the services of 9-1-1 legitimately. And we used them. And I guess ever since I’ve been so grateful to know they would help in a time of crisis that I’ve called them … just every now and again.

So back then we had a dog named Barky. He replaced our dog named Sparky that ran away. I’m sure you would agree that we were very clever in the naming of our dogs.

Barky was a mutt. He was a small dog but not like the small tea cup type dogs of today. Unfortunately Barky never got the memo that he was not as big as the other dogs. He broke his leg so many times they eventually had to put a pin in it after he would go and “mix it up a little” with some bigger, bullier dogs.

Barky was an outdoor dog who only got to come inside on special occasions. Even in the freezing cold winters. And Barky got cold. Now we all know that “necessity is the mother of invention.”

And my dad…well, he loves a project.

And thus was created the “heater” for Barky’s house. It consisted of a lightbulb in a coffee can. The plan was for it to provide heat for the doghouse. But, the best laid plans … well, they often go awry.

Like the morning Barky…well, he barked. Like crazy. For a really long time. And when my mom looked out, there were flames. The wooden deck on which Barky’s house sat was on fire.

F-I-R-E.

9-1-1 was called.

Firetrucks came.

Barky was rescued.

And my dad did not seek a patent on his invention.

So now, my friends, you know how it all began.