No hard feelings at all, I never had any to begin with. Sorry if I kind of shot from the hip and asked questions later. I just don’t like seeing stuff like that happen. I’d be thoroughly pissed if I found any of my own published work floating around in the mists of the internet.
I don’t remember the original author name, and I’ve searched again to find it but have turned up nothing. If I come across it again I’ll definitely pop you an email with the link.
You know, nowhere in the copyright argument has anyone seemed to acknowledge the fact that Bob is not the only person in America capable of lighting farts. And he is neither the first nor last person to injure themselves doing so. So unless there are specific details of this story, or exact copies of sentence structure (or obvious things like “Fire Alarm!” copied), it may not be plagiarized.
I’m not saying it definitely isn’t, just that it probably isn’t. After all, I’ve heard dozens of fart fire stories before - each one with slightly different details, but all ending up in a reddened ass, singed hair, and most of them with holes in clothing.
I was in Nepal once, rafting down the Trisuli river with a group of friends. At night we would set up camp on the beaches alongside the river. One evening our guide and sherpas were chilling out by the campfire, and though we didn’t speak a common language, the we were entertaining each other by doing dumb tricks. After a bit of singing and juggling and jumping about and general hilarity, I decided to really steal the show by lighting a fart - through my shorts, I hasten to add. I was betting the Nepalese probably had never seen this before, and I reckoned they’d practically die laughing.
So I got a cigarette lighter, put my legs up in the air, raised my butt and lit the lighter. But, despite all the dal bhat we’d been eating for days, I couldn’t pop one out (this, at the time, was very unusual). So I lay there in this undignified position for two or three minutes. I strained and grunted, but nothing came out. My western friends were falling about laughing at me, but the Nepalese guys had gone very quiet. Gradually my friends’ chuckles died down, and I gave up my attempt, lest I soil myself. The atmosphere had become a little chilly.
Then my friend Big Steve slaps himself on the forehead and says "Oh man, I just realised what happened. In Nepalese culture, it’s incredibly rude to point your feet at people. Not only that, but putting a flame in front of something is what they do to venerate it - that’s why there are candles burning in front of the Buddha images in the temples.
“Dude! You pointed your feet and your butt at them, and then… then you invited them to worship your ass!”
I still cringe when I think about it. And giggle a bit.
Troll is running a hospital.
I’m teaching special education in the public schools.
Bobo’s an accountant, working for the State Of Texas.
Bob’s a career sergeant (I think,) U.S. Army.
Not sure whatever happened to Crazy Jane.
Bubbles married the Troll. Two kids.
Be careful what you say to today’s reprobates. Tomorrow they may be running the country. Hell, even Bush got all liquored up and went for a drive at least once…