9. Careful Not to Burn Down the House With a Mirror
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You have most likely seen in movies that occasionally the characters would be in a bind and then create a fire using a mirror. Though in real life the likelihood has most likely never presented itself for this, this person did it by error. Leaving their mirror in bright sunlight, they unintentionally caused a fire in their room. The burned windowsills in the process clearly show poor quality.
Fortunately they were able to stop and confine the fire in time; but, had they not be home, it may have been a major fire damaging the house greatly. This event reminds us sharply of the unanticipated threats that might exist in commonplace objects. Usually a benign vanity item, the mirror turned into an inadvertent fire-starting tool, proving the might of concentrated sunlight. When the homeowner finds smoke and flames in what ought to have been a peaceful, safe chamber, one can picture his amazement and panic. The burned windowsills are evidence of how near they came to a full-fledged catastrophe. This event probably caused one to rethink where reflecting objects should be placed around the house and develop a fresh respect of the need of fire safety. This is a warning story that might cause people to reconsider the apparently benign behavior of leaving a mirror close to a window. The episode also emphasizes the need of being present and attentive in one's house since a few more minutes of absence would have had disastrous results. Friends and relatives most likely started talking about this close encounter to raise awareness of this less-known home danger.
