Who or what event is portrayed in this story?
October 1814
John felt a tug on his coat. A seven year old boy in the wool cap and jacket looked up at him cautiously.
“What are you doing here, Thomas?” John asked him. He took another swig from the pint in front of him and nodded to the bartender who started pouring him another.
“Mama says she wants you to come home. Kenny’s cough is getting worse. Mama says you should fetch a doctor.” David rocked back and forth on the balls of his worn shoes. “Mama says not to come home without you.”
“Oh,” yelled his father. He slammed down the glass on the counter. “All right, let’s go.”
The barman added ticks to the P&Q board.
John put his arm around his son’s shoulders and led him from the pub. They walked down the street in silence. It was a cool but quiet night.
All of the sudden, a loud bang shook the walls around them. A large rumble made John freeze in his tracks. The wall had fallen on one of the buildings ahead of him and a large brown wave came towards him.
He didn’t have a chance to pick up his son and run. Nor did it register that the one liquid he loved most would eventually drown him.
Who or what event is portrayed in this story?
The previous Death By … story is based on:
Dan Andersson, a Swedish poet died in room 11 at Hotel Hellman in Stocklom on 16 September 1920, where he had gone to look for a job at the newspaper. The hotel staff had used hydrogen cyanide to kill bedbugs but hadn’t completely rid the room of the deadly gas before allowing Dan to gain entry.
Sources:
Clarissa - Oh, what a great scene! And how bitterly and sadly ironic...
ReplyDeleteCongrats Laura Marcella, Bev Hankins, and Youngman Brown! One point each.
ReplyDeleteThe tally so far:
Laura - 2 points
Bev - 1 point
Youngman - 1 point
Angela - 1 point
Glynis - 1 point
When I die, I have ruled drowning as certainly one method to avoid. Well written Clarissa and I like your creative spin on death.
ReplyDeleteOh, the irony! Loved this one! Plus I looked it up.
ReplyDeleteIt was the London Beer Flood in October 17, 1814. Wow! What an interesting way to die.
I know this one. Meux beer flood in England! The beer had over fermented and it burst through a wall, and people drowned in a tidal wave.
ReplyDeleteYou've pulled an eye-popping historical occurrence into more great writing. Love your creativity, Clarissa.
ReplyDeleteOoh, I hadn't know about that poet. I'll look him up.
ReplyDeleteI guess the D one is a tsunami of some sort but it's in England, so...
I don't think I am bright enough for this game LOL! I do love reading your stories though. :D
ReplyDeleteMy first thought was a tsunami, but the last line stopped me. I'm guessing it's a whiskey flood or beer flood from broken barrels?
ReplyDeleteNo idea, but nice to know I was close with the last one. Keep 'm coming :)
ReplyDeleteThis one is my favourite so far. What a way to do. I love the simple irony of it.
ReplyDeleteEArthquake caused beer kegs to burst?
ReplyDeletethat's my guess. Lot's of fun to read and guess. thanks for the change of pace in reading blogs.
Ruby
I am getting none of these.
ReplyDeleteGirl wants a point so-o bad ...
I will say this, though. I read the below again and again and couldn't hear the, 'Oh,':
“Oh,” yelled his father. He slammed down the glass on the counter. “All right, let’s go.”
Feels more like it should have been a, 'Goddamit!' or 'For godsakes!'
Or if you want to avoid swearing, 'Oh, for the love of Norman Rockwell and the Lettermen!'
I was just reading yesterday's!!!! And then found you'd turned the comments off - I thought the guy was a violinist and the death was about the bugs! (I'm not much good at this, but these are lovely stories on their own merit). Today, well, I realized someone died in beer but how or why I didn't know (now I've read the other comments LOL). I'll try not to miss a day now!
ReplyDeleteHmmm...whiskey burst the container and drowned him is what I'm thinking...maybe beer.
ReplyDeleteI hadn't heard of this flood. The most unusual one I'd run across was the Boston molasses flood (a century later). How very cool!
ReplyDeleteErin
I'm not sure on exactly what story, but loved reading it. It's better than 1,000 ways to die. :) Can't wait for tomorrow edition
ReplyDeleteHmmm...have to remember to come back and find out exactly how or why he drowned.
ReplyDeleteA strange (and devastating) way to die, yet interesting. Great scene!
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed the poet one too.
Clarissa, apparently I know none of these but the stories are fascinating and keep me coming back to find out who or what "done it".
ReplyDeleteSounds like an explosion in a beer factory. Great blog idea! I'm trying to visit all the A-Z Challenge blogs in April.
ReplyDeleteYou have really done your research to find these deaths.
ReplyDeleteA brewery explosion would be my guess.
ReplyDeleteDrowning by beer? I can't think of any other brown liquid that people love--well, besides coffee, but they just left a pub.
ReplyDeleteAn explosive planted by some revolutionary!
ReplyDeleteTake care
x
An unusual way to die! Great series, Clarissa. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm thinking this is the explosion in the ... was it Nova Scotia Harbour??? mabye... :)
ReplyDeleteWell Clarissa, all I know is that alcohol was involved. Loved the way you've crafted this story.
ReplyDeleteDenise
I am 4 for 4. Death by Beer. You gotta go a ways to beat this one.
ReplyDeleteDeath by beer? Wow, I'd never heard of this before!
ReplyDeleteI assume a brewery blew up. Don't know which one though.
ReplyDeleteThis is the coolest A to Z theme I've seen so far! Amazing how wild and crazy some real-life deaths are! This is a pretty ironic story. Poor man and his son, drowned in beer.
ReplyDeleteJ.C. Martin
A to Z Blogger