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Terrifying Memories: The Time My Sister Caught on Fire
Writing about memories can be scary as well as joyful.
Sometime last month I wrote an article based on a prompt by another Medium writer, Jason Provencio editor of Bouncin’ and Behavin’ Blogs.
Jason prompted his readers, which includes me, to write about their ten top memories from elementary school. It sounded like a fun and interesting challenge so I rose to the occasion and wrote from the prompt. Most of my memories were funny and mischievous or just unusual, like going to Boy Scout camp as a girl. But while I was writing that piece, I remembered some not-so-happy memories — like the time my sister caught on fire!
It was a Saturday morning before dance class, and my sister was wearing her I Dream of Jeannie PJs. If you’ve ever seen the show, you can just imagine what those looked like. Flouncy, billowy bottoms in pastel colors with a cuff at the ankle to give the pant leg even more poof. It was the late 1960s and the show was harmless and funny with all the trouble Jeannie got Major Nelson or “Tony” into with his pal Roger Healey (Wikipedia). We watched every episode! My sister was 4 or 5 and I was 6 or 7 years old.
On this particular Saturday morning, my mom had a pot of hot water on the stove in which to parboil some chicken breasts…
