Great story, @bex-dk! And thank you for the motivational call-to-arms for 50-word story authors.

I went to look up firedog, because I wasn't certain whether that was an actual dog, or a term that meant something in the fire fighting world. I thought of the traditional fire mascot -- a dalmation wearing a fire helmet -- but I I don't think they actually fight fires. Anyway, what was interesting was that I learned that one definition of a "firedog" is an andiron. So I learned something new today!