while they did live happily ever after

Well, I wasn't there for it. My mom was out driving my older sister and me around, 'cause we were in a touring group that was performing for some retirement homes in East County during the afternoon, and then we were both in a production of The Wizard of Oz out even further in the same direction that evening. She had our toddler youngest sister with us, but my younger sister and brother were staying with our next door neighbor (who conveniently runs a day care). It was a really hot day even on the coast, and our next door neighbor let my siblings back in the house to get their bathing suits so they could play in the sprinklers out front. My brother decided to go into the front bedroom, light pieces of newspaper on fire, blow them out, and throw them in the trash can. (Huh. Boys.) Next thing you know, the trash can catches fire, the curtains catch fire, and the wall is on fire. My brother panics, gets my sister, who runs out and gets our neighbor, who calls 911 and runs in with her fire extinguisher, which really saves the day. Only the one bedroom was seriously damaged, but there was smoke damage all throughout the house and it took the insurance company the rest of the summer to get it cleaned.