So, I was walking along the road
with an acquaintance when we noticed that a house across the way was on fire.
The fire hadn’t spread very far yet . Fearing that there might be people
inside, and figuring there was still a chance to save the place, or at least
save some of the stuff inside, I started across the road. My companion grabbed
me and pulled me back.
“Wait! Was that fire started by a
human? Or was it lightning caused it?”
“What does it matter?” I yelled,
trying to pull away. “There may be people in there!”
The man would not let me go. “The
important thing,” he said, “is whether we need to blame a ‘who’ or a ‘what.’
By now, the whole first floor of the
house was engulfed with flames. I jerked free of his grip and took off toward
the fire. The man tackled me from behind and in another moment was sitting on
top of me so that I couldn’t get up.
“A who or a what?” the man yelled at
me. “If it was humans started it, that’s one thing. Then we could act. But if
it was lightning then that’s nature and we just have to let it burn.”
“Get off me!” I screamed.
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