When One wasn’t One
It was a peaceful afternoon in Rawson. Two local ladies were having a chat about something surely important, quite un-aware that their quiet haven was about to become part of a small emergency.
VicEmergency had sent out a message advising of a small fire at Number One. Worried neighbours read the message, looked around, but saw not one sign of smoke. The curious from further away started to arrive. Somebody called one of the ladies and asked what was cooking. “Why?” was the response. “Because you have been reported as having a fire”. “No fire here, we didn’t call any-one”, was the response.
The word was passed around and because there was no smoke to be seen, the gathering of the concerned departed and the mystery remained unsolved.
For a day or two. Then a chance remark revealed that another property that has in the past referred to itself as ‘number one’ too did have a small fire which had been promptly attended to by our local CFA. Luckily they already knew where to go and didn’t have to waste time looking in the wrong place.
So, why the confusion? VicEmergency included in their warning the information given to them by somebody presumably not aware that there is only one real official number one in every Street or Road or Drive. And that one belonged to one of the chatting ladies!