When I was a youngen (12-15)I didn't have a hard time finding something to occupy my time when with my cousin. There was a shack in the woods behind my house that our late uncle had built and resided in quite a few years back. Most of his belongings were still in the house. There were gun parts and coffee cans full of old gun powder.

My genius cousin had found a small plastic jar about the size of a lemon, and proposed that we make a bomb out of it (because when you are 13 or so, things that go 'boom' are really interesting). Knowing it probably wasn't a good idea, but thinking that it would be too fun to miss I decided to go along.

We proceded to fill the small 'jar' with the old gun powder and poked a hole in the lid with a nail and inserted a wick from a candle as the 'fuse'. Then came the fun part, seeing if it worked. Outside we go...(only 15 feet from the building might I add) put it on the ground, light the wick and RUN! Nothing Not quite understanding yet that candle wicks and fire cracker fuses don't quite burn the same. The candle wick had been snuffed out my this little hole we poked in the lid.

After a few minutes of arguing who would go up and check it first, we braved it together. Sure enough the wick was snuffed.

So how are we going to get this to go boom... *I know* my cousin proudly states. I look over his shoulder as he chucks the lid into the woods and pulls the rest of the wick to the edge of the rim, holds the jar at an angle and lights it... While still holding it. Well the gunpowder wasn't too old to go 'BOOM'.

All I remember is the lighter flicking, a BIG white flash, a really loud noise and getting up off the ground about 10 feet from our initial ignition point. My cousin proceded to run down the hill towards the beaver pond that was near by, screaming that his arm was burning. Although I really couldn't hear much besides ringing. He ran into a clothes line and litrally 'clothes lined' himself in the face. Got back up and kept on for the creek. He goes down the hill, I go tumbling after. Then out onto a log, only to fall in.

Luckily all we lost was our eyebrows, and our hearing for a couple of days. Althought it could have been a trajic Darwin award, I think Murhpy's law would have been proud.

Submitted on 11/05/2006

Submitted by: Anonymous
Reference: Personal Account

Copyright © 2006 DarwinAwards.com

James said:
Definitely Keep: Personal Account
A colorful PA with plenty of cartoony detail and Oliver Hardy-esque overconfidence! I like it, and methinks the readers might like it too!

Graham said:
Definitely Keep: Personal Account
Ha-ha! This is DEFINITELY material for a short comedy sketch. I can see Buster Keaton doing this one.

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