The Perils of Marshmallows

So, I was wandering through Toronto's Path System yesterday at lunchtime and I saw a guy in a white leather jacket. Naturally, that made me think of the same thing anyone would think when they see a dude in white leather .... MARSHMALLOWS! That, of course, lead me to think of roasting marshmallows and the warning I provide to anyone even thinking of partaking in this typically memory-creating activity.

Allow me to explain a strange series of events that haunt my dreams to this day ... we were camping several years ago and the weather couldn't have been worse - rainy, windy and cool. We jimmy-rigged a tarp and decided the best thing to do would be to warm ourselves by a campfire. Well, out came the marshmallows; we whittled some twigs that were likely soaked in raccoon pee and prepared for our feast!

As everyone slid their tasty treats towards the glowing embers, John was the first to get a little too close. Soon his marshmallow was aflame and every roasting connoisseur knows you've got mere moments before the whole sugary treat is a charred, inedible mess. He quickly put his plan into action, springing from his chair and bringing the flaming ball towards of his mouth to blow out the flames.

Well, it appears he was a tad over-zealous and touched the burning orb to his lips. With almost choreographed beauty, he quickly flicked it away from his lips, which had already turned an ungodly shade of purple and looked as if more than a few layers of skin was gone. This action caused the still-burning treat to launch off the end of his skewer. We watched as it flew - almost in slow-motion - through the air, never once losing any of it's fiery qualities, landing precisely in the middle of the top of the head of another camper, who was so busy dancing fireside, that he didn't notice it land.

Suffice it to say, his hair was soon aflame and what ensued after that could only be described as a dance of bodies ... some springing into action to splat out the flames and some pointing and laughing.

So I ask .... Marshmallows: small, harmless treat from our childhood? OR, dangerous ball of flame leaving trauma in its path? You decide!