Kwakuyintsasa emnandi nge-20 kaJulayi, 1981, xa umfana oneminyaka engama-24 ubudala ogama linguDavid Allen Kirwan, osuka. La Cañada Flintridge wayeqhuba kwindawo eshushu ye-Yellowstone's Fountain Paint Pot e-Wyoming. Waya apho nomhlobo wakhe uRonald Ratliff kunye nenja kaRatliff uMoosie. Ngelo xesha, babengazi ukuba kungekudala baza kudibana nesona siganeko simanyumnyezi ebomini babo.
Ezinzulwini zosuku emva kokuba befikile kwindawo ababesinge kuyo, bamisa ilori yabo baza baphuma besiya kuhlola ummandla wasesprings. Ekugqibeleni, xa babehamba umgama omncinci ukusuka kwilori yabo, ngequbuliso, inja yabo uMoosie yaphuncuka kwilori yaza yabaleka ukuya, yaza yatsibela kwichibi elikufuphi laseCelestine ― umthombo oshushu apho ubushushu bamanzi buhlala bulinganiswa ngaphezulu. 200°F ― emva koko waqalisa ukukhala.
Bagxalathelana ukuya echibini ukuze bancede inja yabo engxakini, kwaye isimo sengqondo sikaKirwan sasibonisa ukuba wayeza kungena kumthombo oshushu emva kwayo. Ngokutsho kweemboni, abantu abaninzi kuquka noRatliff bazama ukulumkisa uKirwan ngokumkhwaza ukuba angatsibi emanzini. Kodwa wakhwaza ngomsindo, “Njengesihogo andizukuyenza loo nto!”, emva koko wathabatha izinyuko zakhe ezibini wangena equleni waza ngokukhawuleza waphosa intloko yakhe kuqala kumthombo obilayo!
UKirwan waqubha waza wafikelela kwinja waza wazama ukuyisa elunxwemeni; emva koko, wanyamalala phantsi kwamanzi. Emva kokuyiyeka inja, yazama ukuzikhwela iphume emthonjeni. URatliff wamnceda wamkhupha, nto leyo eyaphumela ekubeni atshise kanobom ezinyaweni zakhe. Ngelixa abanye ababebukele bekhokelela uKirwan kwindawo evulekileyo ekufutshane, bezama ukumnika intuthuzelo de i-ambulensi ifike. Ngelo xesha, wayevakala ethetha, Yayibubudenge obo. Ndimbi kangakanani? Yayibubudenge ke loo nto.”
UKirwan wayekwimbonakalo embi kakhulu. Amehlo akhe ayemhlophe kwaye engaboni, neenwele zakhe zaziwa. Xa undwendwe lwasepakini lwaluzama ukususa esinye sezihlangu zakhe, ulusu lwakhe ― olwalusele luqalisile ukuxobuka kuyo yonke indawo ― lwaluphume nalo. Waye watshisa iqondo lesithathu ukuya kwi-100% yomzimba wakhe. Emva kokuchitha iiyure ezibandezelekileyo, ngentsasa elandelayo uDavid Kirwan wasweleka kwisibhedlele saseSalt Lake City. UMoosie naye akazange aphile. Umzimba wakhe awuzange uphume equleni.
