The peace and quiet it ended fast as fire sirens roared a blast
The Sidney BC fire crew were taking tea with crumpets too
Martin’s first day on the job, making tea for Wayne and Bob
And how adrenalin it flowed as danger called and they did go
Lights were flashing, good was luck, red and white Suburban truck
Confusion reigned, they all got wet, as forces irrisistible met
Beacon Avenue distress, a garage burning, such much mess
Angry folk with blackened faces, water hydrants several places
Police were called and back up too, family members, bitter feud
The neighbours tutted audibly behind their curtains they could see
The fracas that unfolded there, punches thrown without a care
Jean she grabbed her video cam, You tube heaven, was the plan
It started as a garage sale, loads of junk and ginger ale
But Ronnie Jrnr spiked the drink with Vodka found beneath the sink
And soon the hosts were laughing loudly, singing songs and belching proudly
David and his brother Rick, who by his eighth drink was so sick
Hurling words at passers by, some they laughed whilst others cried
A scuffle broke out, neighbour Jim who Rick had never cared for, him
Jim’s wife Betty Ann screamed ‘Stop’, scratching Rick she climbed on top
As punches reigned down from both sides, filthy words I can’t describe
David meanwhile took the dough as crowds they gathered, spending so
Ronnie Jnr passed the drink round, intoxicated neighbours found
Some were laughing, others cried with alcoholic juice inside
The street became a party zone, and still those fighting men were prone
David sold that old trombone, a rusty bike and dead cell phone
His two piece telescope still boxed, went for a buck, his brain outfoxed
A buyer tried the hanging darts board, lobbing rusting darts at Aunt Maud
Who narrowly avoided pain as stepping on the toes again
Of Julianne who held in hand a nineteen seventy Shell oil can
Which she dropped at Martins feet, drunken eyes bent down, "Hey neat"
Ronnie took a swing as Jim ducked, revealing Betty’s chin
Falling into big fat Andrew, smoking cigar, Cuban brew
Which slipped from mouth and landed by the old shell can in road did lie
Patricia from across the street was high on Vodka, almost neat
She dropped her plastic beaker wet, the liquid and the cigar met
The Shell can oil it sure ignited, as bodies flew and all excited
The Police arrived as flames they rose, a manequin devoid of clothes
The wooden timbers of the house were burning as with water doused
The drunken gathering they cheered, this was the most fun had in years
The fighting stopped as sirens wailed, "Sidney Fire, hey move your tails"
Dismayed, the officers moved fast, arresting drunken citizens at last
Eight am against the rules, what possessed these crazy fools
The fire was smothered, six trips round to ferry folk to cells down town
The drink was annalysed and tested, Ronnie junior arrested
Ron and Jim sat side by side within the cell as Betty cried
Her ma had warned her not to marry Jim, not fit her coat to carry
And as the names were booked and freed, David burped and smiled with glee
Takings swift, three hundred bucks, enough to cover damage, luck
Sidney BC changed that day and some folk later moved away
Jim and Betty they divorced, he got golf clubs, she the Porsche
Andrew gave up smoking cigars, discovered women and fast cars
Ronnie Jnr he was grounded, on his hide his father rounded
Though in a way the kid did good, that awful garage Ronnie could
Not stand before the rebuild changed the layout of the road that day
.
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Written April 24th 2011
Photograph taken in Bradford Avenue, Sidney, BC, Canada at 10:29am on April 27th 2010
Nikon D90 10mm 1/640s f/13.0 iso400 -1.3step EV
Tamron 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 Di LC. UV filter
