Growing Crystals

"Mom, can we grow those crystals from our kit?" my son asked. 

It had only been a year since we got the crystal-growing thing.  He's been wanting to do it for a very long time.  I've been putting it off because I had a funny feeling it was going to turn out to be a catastrophic mess.

I sighed.  "Okay," I said.  I guess I couldn't put it off anymore.

I reluctantly pulled out an old pot, and opened the box with all of the crystal growing powders.  I read the directions.  There were a lot of warnings about not getting anything on your skin.  The directions said that no kid under 12 should attempt to use the kit.  (Personally, I think nobody at all should attempt to use it.)

I mixed and weighed the powders (yes, I actually had to get out a kitchen scale).  I measured the water and boiled it.  I scrounged around the backyard and found a flat rock that met the specified proportions in the directions.  Then I went into the basement and set up the crystal growing lab. I was ready.

After I boiled the water and mixed the powder, I transported the concoction to the basement.  I poured the mixture into the crystal-growing molds.

Do you know what happened?

The darn mold leaked!  There was a crack, or something, in it. Shocking pink liquid started oozing all over the floor.  I had a plastic cover, in case of spillage, but even that couldn't contain it.  I frantically searched for paper towels to clean the mess.

So now, ladies and gentlemen, my basement floor has a lovely pink stain on it.  The good news, is that we were growing rubies.  Maybe we'll have a ruby-covered floor.  Oh, and did I mention I got some on my fingers?  Maybe I'll sprout some rubies, too.