Boot Drive
Aug. 23rd, 2012 09:12 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tarotgalOccasionally, the fire department near where I work has a Boot Drive. They park a truck at the intersection outside my building and walk around with their boots, asking for donations. Now, I'm a democrat and a big believer of paying lots and lots of taxes to support public services and government services. But I always give to the firefighters anyway.
Why? Well, because they're a volunteer department and need the funding, which goes without saying. But, more importantly, I donate because in my head, if I give them money, I won't die in a fire. I am TERRIFIED of dying in a fire. When I was growing up, in elementary school we used to have Fire Prevention Week every year. Every night that week I would wake up screaming and crying with nightmares of fiery deaths. I even made my parents purchase a roll-out fire escape ladder for the window of my bedroom, which was a townhouse bedrooms three floors up from the ground. I had nightmares for days after going on that stupid Backdraft ride at Universal Studios, even though I had my eyes closed during the whole darn thing.
But, in my weird head, if I donate money to the people who fight fires, it will keep the fires from getting to me. I know it doesn't make any sense at all. But it's a compulsion. I HAVE to give the firefighters money every time they have a drive, or I'll die in a fire. It's as simple as that. And, hey, if the fire does come at me, the department will have more money to fight it :-)
Why? Well, because they're a volunteer department and need the funding, which goes without saying. But, more importantly, I donate because in my head, if I give them money, I won't die in a fire. I am TERRIFIED of dying in a fire. When I was growing up, in elementary school we used to have Fire Prevention Week every year. Every night that week I would wake up screaming and crying with nightmares of fiery deaths. I even made my parents purchase a roll-out fire escape ladder for the window of my bedroom, which was a townhouse bedrooms three floors up from the ground. I had nightmares for days after going on that stupid Backdraft ride at Universal Studios, even though I had my eyes closed during the whole darn thing.
But, in my weird head, if I donate money to the people who fight fires, it will keep the fires from getting to me. I know it doesn't make any sense at all. But it's a compulsion. I HAVE to give the firefighters money every time they have a drive, or I'll die in a fire. It's as simple as that. And, hey, if the fire does come at me, the department will have more money to fight it :-)
