High Explosives (youngsters:non fiction, 1011 words)
Author: Lou Hill	Added: Mar 31 2002	Views/Reads: 4336/2427	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
Our continuing efforts to recreate the "big bang."

Click here to read the first 75 lines of the story

proceeded to combine the chemicals and water coming up with a black, 
soupy mess. Not being the most patient of individuals, we decided to 
speed up the drying process. 

At the time, it seemed like a bright idea to place the concoction in a
pan in the oven of Corron's wood stove to dry it out. It worked like a 
charm too.  Why we didn't blow up the stove and ourselves along with it 
is beyond me.   Wendell and I seemed to have a very efficient and 
overworked  guardian angel looking after us in those days. 

Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, our homemade explosive never did
work too well.  We  were never able to obtain any impressive blasts.  
All we ever got from our detonations were some  flashes and sulfurous 
smelling smoke. 

I  finally did attain my goal of blowing something up.  It happened in
the early 50s when route 108 between West Enosburg and Bakersfield was 
being improved and paved. 

I was on my way to one of my favorite fishing holes on the
Enosburg/Bakersfield town line.  The construction crew was blasting 
some of the narrow old cement bridges prior to putting in forms for new 
bridges.  I happened to come along just at the time that the man who 
was in charge of the blasting was ready to blow a bridge. 

"Hey Kid.  You want to set off a charge?"  Was George Aiken a
Republican?   With trembling hands, I took the generator and pushed 
down the T-handle.  Kawhump.  Small chunks of concrete rained down on 
us.  There wasn't the concern for safety in those days and blasting 
mats and hard hats were rarely used.  But even if I had gotten a 
concussion-who cared?  I had finally blown something up. 

Enosburg, Vermont May, 1993 


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