I am my father's child

I've always felt like I am a miniature version of my father. We both love scouting, Eagle Scouts, the whole chemistry thing, MTU (hey, a year still counts), &c.

Well, this past week I think it really solidified things. In my tenth grade IGCSE class we were discussing some covalent molecules. Ammonia was one of them. As we discussed the shape and arrangement of electrons and then went on to talk about some uses. They came up with the usual: fertilizers, cleaning supplies. I prompted them by asking if there were any boxing fans (surprisingly there was at least one in each class) and proceeded to ask them what they do to a boxer when he gets knocked out and they can't wake him up. After a bit more prompting they came up with smelling salts. Now, anyone who has opened a bottle of ammonia (even the diluted solutions you buy in the stores) knows that it has a characteristic smell and the vapours make your nostrils burn and your eyes water.

As fate would have it, there were quite a few kids who didn't know what it smelled like. So, of course, I rummaged through the store room to find some. The stuff I got was pretty concentrated lab grade stuff. So, as soon as I opened the bottle my eyes and nostrils are burning and figure this won't do. I pour about 10mL into a 50mL beaker and keep my hand covering it so that the fumes don't get to me. I slowly walk around the room wafting the vapours to the students who all have the same reaction: to squish up their faces like Andy Rooney and quickly turn away. After I get through about half of the class (and as I'm right in the middle of the room) I accidentally hit the beaker as I waft towards some more students and the whole thing falls to the floor and shatters sending 10mL of ammonia all over the floor and the vapours immediately begin to diffuse throughout the entire place. I send one kid to get a broom, another to turn on the fume hood and one last one to open all the windows.

I got it all cleaned up but the entire time all I could think of the phone ringing at home during dinner and the person on the other end saying, "Charlie, we need you to come back to the plant, we got an ammonia leak."

"An ammonia leak!"

I am my father's son.


Note: I figured that this is really only funny to my brothers and sister so a bit of explanation might be in order. You see, my father is a retired chemical engineer. He used to work at plant in town that manufactured shortening and salad dressings. During my childhood I can remember my dad coming home after a long day's work only to receive a call (inevitably during dinner) saying that there was an ammonia leak out at the plant and they needed him to come back in and help take care of things. It's become a bit of a joke between us now and I feel like I've come full circle.