Absolute Horror

"No! Don't touch..." My screech echoed in my head as I sprang from my chair. Not five feet from Larry I was sure I could get to him in time. Slightly a second too late my out stretched arms grasped him and pulled him away. The damage was already done. A nice quiet day helping in Taylor's classroom turned into an impromptu fire drill under Larry's skilled hand. I turned in horror to Mrs. Laura. I couldn't turn the alarm off. The fire department was already on the way. My son had committed a felony. I grabbed Kenny in one arm and Larry in the other and ran to the office. The Principal headed my direction intent on finding out exactly what happened, where the alarm came from. "It was my son. He's only three. He didn't know what he was doing." I begged her to understand. Without a word she turned focusing her attention on cancelling the fire department. Not knowing what else to do, I trudged out to the field to find Taylor's class. The kids were lined up in typical fire drill fashion with Mrs. Laura taking roll. In shock, poor Larry watched all the people flowing out of the classrooms. It took a while for him to realize he caused the organized chaos going on around him. As we filed back into the classroom, Larry and I took a short detour back to the scene of the crime. I had never thought to explain to him what the red box on the wall did. I had never even considered that one might be within his reach. I think we both know better now.