The fire was on the roof of the building. In the ceiling of the main room in the building was a square hole, apparently for an air-conditioning unit. I could see that the fire was coming down through that hole.

Everyone except the servants had left the building. The servants were sitting at a long dining table in the main room. Apparently, they were eating and for some reason they weren't leaving. Even though the fire was coming through the hole in the ceiling, it hadn't yet begun to burn anything in the building.

Finally, something happened which caused all the servants to jump up and run up some stairs. But they quickly came back down the stairs and exited from the building.

However, an oriental family consisting of a man, a woman and their daughter stayed in the building. They had vowed to stay there until the end.

The fire spread and came down into the building. A long stout beam on the stair's banister caught fire. The oriental woman wrapped a blanket around the beam. She succeeded in putting out the fire for a moment. But the fire quickly burned through the blanket.

The water had been turned off in the embassy. But there were some large flower pots in the room which had some water in them. The woman hollered to her husband and daughter to grab the flower pots and begin pouring the water over the fire. She herself picked up one flower pot and poured the water in it over the long beam on the banister. The water put out the fire, but it continued to smolder.

I wasn't due to be in court for another hour; I wanted to help with the fire. I noticed some girls in the crowd. As I talked to my mother, I could see a reflection of myself in one widow of the building. It looked as if my white shirt might be somewhat too big for me.

As I walked by the girls, talking to my mother, I wanted them to know I was a lawyer. I said, "Well, I've got to be in court in an hour."

But I didn't think anyone heard me.

The fire trucks hadn't yet shown up. Someone said that the fire department was on the other side of town. I looked down the street; a train was on the tracks. I thought, "Well, there's probably a train blocking them."

I knew the family was still in the building. I thought, "Well, surely that oriental family will not stay in there when it gets so hot. I mean they won't stay in there until they're dead."

Seven or eight people who were going to put out the fire arrived. They threw some stuff on the ground. A fellow with long blond hair was leading the group. I ran up to him and said, "Can I help."

He said, "Well, sure."

He pointed to several bundles of electric cord and said, "Grab some of that."

I picked up two of the bundles. A cord ran from one of my bundles to one bundle on the ground. I tried to figure out where the connection was so I could separate the cord and just carry my two bundles. I began examining the bundles.

I began thinking about how dirty my shirt was going to get. Maybe I could tell the judge what had happened and he wouldn't hold it against me.

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