Posted on 11/13/2002 4:41:06 PM PST by Willie Green
For education and discussion only. Not for commercial use.
FORT WORTH, Texas (Reuters) - It may work for Santa Claus and the singing chimney sweep in "Mary Poppins," but one Texas man found out that going down the chimney was no way to enter a home after he became wedged in the smoke stack.
Mark Vaughn was trying to help his family get back into their home in Fort Worth after they locked themselves out.
When his mother-in-law told him to get a locksmith, Vaughn said he got the idea of going down the chimney. His inspiration was the character of the chimney sweep played by actor Dick Van Dyke in the movie "Mary Poppins," which he had recently seen.
"What prompted me? I was watching the Dick Van Dyke movie a few weeks ago, you know the chimney sweeper movie," Vaughn told reporters Tuesday.
Vaughn said he thought he was going to make it all the way down the chimney, but he got stuck near the bottom. After about 30 minutes in the chimney, Vaughn realized he could go no further and yelled out for help.
His family called for the fire department, and as he waited in the shaft, Vaughn said his arms and legs went numb.
Rescue workers carefully dismantled the chimney brick by brick and after about an hour, they opened a hole large enough to free Vaughn.
"In trying to get the person out, you have to do a lot of manipulation of the brick and mortar, which can transmit a lot of injury to the person inside," said James Johns, a fire battalion chief.
A grateful Vaughn, his face black with soot, shook hands with the firefighters who rescued him and said the episode left him shaken.
The stars at night - are big and bright
Deep in the heart of Texas.
The prairie sky - is wide and high
Deep in the heart of Texas.
The Sage in bloom - is like perfume
Deep in the heart of Texas.
Reminds me of - the one I love
Deep in the heart of Texas.
The cowboys cry - ki-yip-pie-yi
Deep in the heart of Texas.
The rabbits rush - around the brush
Deep in the heart of Texas.
The coyotes wail - along the trail
Deep in the heart of Texas.
The doggies bawl - and bawl and bawl
Deep in the heart of Texas.
Step in time, step in time
Come on, mateys, step in time
Step in time
Step in time, step in time
Step in time, step in time
Never need a reason,
Never need a rhyme
Step in time, you step in time!
Kick your knees up!
Kick your knees up, step in time
Kick your knees up, step in time
Never need a reason,
Never need a rhyme
Kick your knees up, step in time
Round the chimney!
Round the chimney, step in time
Round the chimney, step in time
Never need a reason,
Never need a rhyme
Round the chimney, step in time
Hold muh chimney sweep...
If it's done right.
-PJ
I've heard if you start at the storm drain and hold your breath real good you can make it in through the toilet...
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