Really?

I feel the need to release a little bit of exasperated maternal steam. Here is the conversation I had just a few minutes ago with my eleven year old son:

Son: May I build a fire in the fire place?

Mom: No, Dad and I are leaving in a little while and I don't want to leave a fire burning while we're gone.

Son: We can put it out before you leave.

Mom: No we can't, these firelogs are only supposed to be put out with a fire extinguisher or if necessary carefully with water. (So say the directions on the firelog I just bought)

Son: Please?

Mom: No. Tomorrow night we are having company and we'll light one then.

At this point as far as I was concerned, the conversation was over. I was getting dressed a few minutes later when I suddenly heard the fire alarm go off. I went downstairs to find that Kai had started a fire without opening the flu. The house was filling with smoke and the alarm was doing damage to my eardrums. I couldn't figure out how to shut the stupid thing off. I even ripped it off the wall and it was still going. It eventually shut off by itself. I admit I went a bit postal. I asked him what on earth he was doing, I said not to light a fire! He said,"But you said yes!"

You know that piercing tone you hear on your TV that announces an emergency? That was the sound I was hearing at this point, and it wasn't the fire alarm.

I think my son needs a few lessons in communication.