By Richard Karns The Table Hopper
I have learned a great deal about this group I have coffee with. Besides all the conversation and laughter — and there is plenty of both — there also is a general acceptance of each of us as an individual.
I don’t have a lot of experience in fishing or fixing cars.
I know when it is time to take my car to Babb Ford, and that is about it. So, listening to conversations about things I don’t know much about is wonderful. There are times, too, that I do have the expertise to share an opinion, and that is also wonderful.
In one of our conversations that caught my ears, was that of drip-gas. Have you ever heard of drip-gas? I had to admit I didn’t know what it was, so I asked. This is a far cry from my expertise, so if this isn’t just right, I apologize in advance. As near as I can gather, this is how drip-gas works. A vapor comes from the wheel head of the gas well, which can become a liquid. Then this drip-gas can be burned in a car for fuel. Apparently there is no secret if someone is using drip-gas because the exhaust has quite a distinct smell. I was told by one of the regulars, with a look of experience, “you need to be careful because drip-gas burns hot, and can destroy a car engine.”
In most cases, when someone is working with gasoline it requires a certain amount of care, as not to have something unfortunate happen. During one of the conversations, an event was shared that showed what could happen if care and the lack of foresight weren’t taken.
Sometime ago, a farmer in the area was fed up with the woodchucks around his barn. He decided to do something about it, by pouring gasoline down each of the holes he saw. After doing this, he lit the gasoline. One of the woodchucks came running out of one of the holes on fire and ran into the farmer’s hay field, setting it on fire. With the help of neighbors, the barn and most of the hay was saved.
What is the moral of this event? It is wise to consider all of the possible outcomes before you start such an exercise in pest control.
