A collective exhale

Last week, the family endured a big scare after our son texted us the picture below with the caption, “something very, very bad has just happened.” He had hit some black ice on I-90 near Presho, South Dakota, and rolled his 1982 Chevy Silverado, which coincidentally was packed with everything he owned (or used to): Every parent knows that having a child is like wearing your heart outside your body, and it doesn’t get any easier when that child is out in the world and subject to the violent physics of highway travel. We’re just grateful to have him home and safe and willing to chat about the kindness of South Dakotan strangers and the 42-year-old chassis that saved his life. Thanks for listening to When the Flames Go Up! We’re a listener-supported enterprise, so please consider a paid subscription to support our writing and podcasting. We also talk about how to fix your alternator with a screwdriver, the wide charisma gap between Cold Miser and Heat Miser, and obtaining a bear tag in Washington state. Other links: * Treating convergence insufficiency with a Brock string * Did you know the Bumble’s full name is The Abominable Snow Monster of the North? * That guy whose uncanny Rankin/Bass animation imitation went viral (compare to the original) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit whentheflamesgoup.substack.com