Boot accident

[Shoe Torcher]

I was working yesterday, and as I pulled onto the jobsite, I saw about five or six Latino guys setting their work boots by the fire to warm them up or thaw them out. It has been really cold here this week, so the boots may have been to cold to wear. Most of the boots were rubber, but one pair was a really worn pair of lace-up leather packers. I had some electrical work to do in a house nearby, but I was going to watch to see what may happen with those boots. Well, the snack wagon pulled onto the site and all the guys went running to the truck for food and a warm drink. I sit in my truck focused on the one pair of leather boots. The fire grew a little larger while the guys were distracted at the snack truck. Just then, the leather boots began to smoke, and the shafts moved a little. Before long the shafts were all crumpled down and the toes were curling up. Pooof!!! They just ignited! Some of the rubber boots caught too, but my focus was on the burning shriveling leather. The leather seemed to move with a life of its own as the fire ate them. The guys then noticed the situation and dropped their coffees and sweetrolls. They were all running around like confused chickens yelling a lot of spanish. I thought that scene was quite amuzing. One guy picked up his boots and began spitting on them as if that would do any good. Funny as that was, I did see the leather ones burn.