An acclaimed novelist lost his office in Carson City on Thursday
when he threw a lit piece of paper into gasoline.
Fantasy writer David Eddings, 75, said he was using water to flush
out the gas tank of his broken-down Excalibur sports car, when some
fluid leaked. In a lapse of judgment he readily admitted, Eddings
lit a piece of paper and threw into the puddle to test if it was
still flammable. The answer came in an orange torrent.
Click to Enlarge
Cathleen Allison/Nevada Appeal A home used as an office on Bonanza
Drive, in North Carson City, suffered major damage Thursday
afternoon after the home owner ignited gasoline while working on
his vehicle.
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The fire raged through the garage and a quarter of the way into the
office that occupies the lot next door to his home. His 95-year-old
mother-in-law inside the home, came outside to find the juniper
trees lining the driveway had gone up in flames, too.
Eddings said his intention to was to prevent a fire - he was afraid
to leave a tank full of gasoline in a car that had gone kaput - but
instead he did the opposite.
"One word comes to mind," the renowned wordsmith said as he stood
in a pajama shirt and slippers. "Dumb."
The author of 27 novels, Eddings said the original manuscripts of
most of his work were in the basement of the office building. But
his biggest worry was about his fax machine, which is the
connection between his home and his wife, Leigh's, doctor. Leigh,
co-author of most of his writings, is unable to speak as a result
of a series of strokes.
The loss of the sports car, which he bought in the 1970s, was a
little painful as well, he said.
"It made for a real fancy vehicle, right up until it burned."
http://www.nevadaappeal.com/article/20070126/NEWS/101260101
