The Toliet Blew Up!

Have you ever met a kid who was such a "Spur of the Moment" person that whatever crossed his brain, he acted on it at that moment? Well, I raised a boy who is just that individual. Justin was overly hyper and full of energy. Raising Justin was indeed an adventure, we never had a dull moment even as he got older. I remember how much he loved fireworks and always had to have some around the Fourth of July Holiday. Mike took him every year and bought a bunch of fireworks, we had fire crackers going off at home for weeks. The year that really stands out as memorable was the year Justin blew up our commode with some leftover fireworks.

The day this happened, Justin was home alone, and Mike and I were both at work. Justin called Mike on the phone and said, "Dad, remember when you told me if I did something wrong, but told you about it, things would not be as bad for me?"Mike said, "Yes, Justin I remember telling you that, what have you done?" Justin said, "Well, you know the fireworks you bought me on the 4th of July, I had some leftovers. I lit one in the house and threw it in the commode. Mike said, "Justin, what happened?" "Dad it blew up in the commode and it's broken." Mike went home right away to find our bathroom commode bowl wholly broken in half and water everywhere. The blast made a circular break completely around the bowl.

If you are wondering if fireworks do explode underwater the answer is yes. I had to do some research because I had no idea this could happen. The information I've found online is very enlightening so I want to share that with you. "The blast effect of even small explosive charge is magnified significantly when detonated underwater." If you are wondering why? The reason is, " the fuse is a compound that will burn underwater, and it does burn down before water can penetrate the casing and wet the powder inside the firecracker. In some cases, the fuse is a cellulose tube of gunpowder, and the protected powder inside it burns to the main charge."

Mike had to exercise control and be a strong parent that day because how many people can say this has happened to me? I mean your child calls you at work and tells you he blew up the commode. Thank God there was nothing in it but water. With as much reserve as he could gather, Mike told Justin he would have to pay for the commode with the money in his piggy bank. They went to his room to get the bank and began counting the entire contents. Justin accompanied his dad downtown to buy a commode. The situation was over and the commode was replaced by the time I got home from work. Tell me how can you have memories of your children growing up like this one and not want to share them?