At one time it would have been deemed an ‘act of God’.
That then would be a particularly harsh judgement on the Almighty.
The family car was travelling through the night and far from anywhere when Pallop Thachao was caught short. They pulled over to the verge and let him out. He stood beneath an electricity pole and began to urinate. Suddenly there was a flash of light.
His family feared the worst. They searched for him in the darkness but all they found was ashes. Strangely his artificial leg was still standing upright, all by itself, with the foot welded to the ground and smoke coming from the top.
The police chief explained.
‘It was the leg that did it. He might have survived but his prosthetic leg was a strong conductor of electricity.
There was a heavy rainstorm last night and ground water collected around the pole.
An exposed cable was in contact with the water and the stream of urine completed an electrical circuit.
This incident demonstrates the folly of urinating near electrical equipment,
especially during the rainy season’, he added, rather needlessly, I thought.
And heartlessly.
In any case, consider yourself well warned!