RANDOM REMINDER

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33155, 20 February 1973, Page 17

RANDOM REMINDER

DOMESTIC DRAMA

Most cities have their quotas of flats in which one, two, three or more young ladies live together, in harmony, and without very much happening to blight their young lives. But the independence flatting proclaims the freedom from parental supervision, does not always go hand-in-hand with worldly wisdom, and aplomb in a crisis. Two young Christchurch girls who have a flat got along very nicely, close confinement did nothing to spoil their friendship. They regularly arrived home from work about the same time, and they were on such excellent terms that they always went out

together to do their shopping, and so forth. But one evening, they will long remember, because it began with the habit of arriving home, getting through a few chores, then going out to buy. When they returned to the flat, it was full of evil smoke, and they were panic-stricken. One asked hysterically what they should do. The other announced firmly that the emergency number should be dialled, and so they spoke to the fire fighters, who promised to send a car forthwith. Within moments, the air was hideous with sirens, and it seemed that everv fire tender in Christchurch was heading their way at high speed. In the

middle of this hideous hubbub, the telephone rang. The caller was the landlord who had probably heard about the fire But he had no sooner announced himself than the girl who picked up the phone cut the conversation short. Hers was a masterpiece of underatement. “I have to go.” she apologised. “I’m busy.” So she was. for seconds later what she assessed as at least 16 very large firemen thrust through the doorway. It was a splendid and lively scene And they looked most impressive. But they did not need quite so many, to extricate two blackened chops from the oven.