Fire (or not)
After an exhausting day I finally settled into bed around 11:00p. By exhausting I mean I arrived at work by 8:00a and was out the door by 4:00p to teach until 7:30p at which point I was in dire need of therapy and thus went for a manicure. While getting pampered SS called and I agreed to meet him in Woodfield for a drink, which turned into rug shopping for his new office, followed by dinner (which was most fortunate as I had not yet eaten lunch). 15 hrs after leaving my house I finally returned and practically fell into bed. I was happily asleep (or at least I think I was; I can't be quite sure as I was asleep at the time), when the fire alarm went off at 2:30a!
In retrospect, I realize how entirely foolish my actions were. In my defense, however, being jolted from deep slumber does not put one in the clearest mindset. My alarm has gone off before, as a result of burning sausages if I recall correctly, and, knowing there was no fire, I simply held a towel over the alarm until it stopped blaring. Worked like a charm! Assuming this was yet again the case, and completely neglecting to recall that I am adjoined to 5 other units, I attempted standing naked on my wicker chair holding a blanket around the damn alarm. The alarm cry was so piercing, however, that I could not keep it up for long. After dismounting the chair I heard sirens wailing in the distance. Thinking that mine was the only alarm going off I quickly threw on jeans and a t-shirt expecting the fire dept to come crashing through the door momentarily. In an effort to save my front door I trotted downstairs and outside where, to my utter amazement, all of my pj-clad neighbors stood on their front lawns. Why it did not occur to me that, 1) if my alarm is going off the other alarms probably are too and 2) that I should immediately exit a building if the fire alarm is going off, I don't know.
Finding no flames, or even the slightest hint of smoke, the firemen left as quickly as they had arrived. Meanwhile my adrenaline was pumping and it took a good hour before falling back asleep. What drama!
In retrospect, I realize how entirely foolish my actions were. In my defense, however, being jolted from deep slumber does not put one in the clearest mindset. My alarm has gone off before, as a result of burning sausages if I recall correctly, and, knowing there was no fire, I simply held a towel over the alarm until it stopped blaring. Worked like a charm! Assuming this was yet again the case, and completely neglecting to recall that I am adjoined to 5 other units, I attempted standing naked on my wicker chair holding a blanket around the damn alarm. The alarm cry was so piercing, however, that I could not keep it up for long. After dismounting the chair I heard sirens wailing in the distance. Thinking that mine was the only alarm going off I quickly threw on jeans and a t-shirt expecting the fire dept to come crashing through the door momentarily. In an effort to save my front door I trotted downstairs and outside where, to my utter amazement, all of my pj-clad neighbors stood on their front lawns. Why it did not occur to me that, 1) if my alarm is going off the other alarms probably are too and 2) that I should immediately exit a building if the fire alarm is going off, I don't know.
Finding no flames, or even the slightest hint of smoke, the firemen left as quickly as they had arrived. Meanwhile my adrenaline was pumping and it took a good hour before falling back asleep. What drama!
posted by Princess Rae at 8:44 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home