If there was a fire, what would YOU take?
Today I was happily working on my thesis when the fire alarm went off. My first thought? "Hey, I wonder if they'll send the cute firemen?" Right, because they're going to stop hosing down the psudo-fire to ask me out on some sort of date situation. Hey, it may not be the most professional thing ever, but it could happen!
That thought only took half a second to go through my head, and then the next thought was "WHAT do I take?". I was betting on the fact that it was a false alarm, so ruled out the entire computer. But just in case, I grabbed both flashdrives and the back-up hard drive and threw them in my purse. Conveniently it already contained my wallet, sunglasses, cell phone, and a movie stub from a movie I saw before Christmas (how helpful). Picture albums? Seattle, my favourite childhood teddy bear? Lunch? Make-up so I look presentable when the firemen get here? No time for any of that. Gloves and hat - check. Coat (it's winter after all) - check.
I entered the hall and immediately started coughing on the smoke (OMG, an ACTUAL FIRE?!?) - should I go back for the laptop?
There was a guy loitering on the front stoop (to rob me of my last earthly possessions?), but he lives here and told me that it's his apartment that's smoking. "On fire?" I asked him. But no, he's too calm for it to be a fire. Just lots and lots of smoke. Apparently he went to school, forgetting about the pot of water he was boiling. It boiled down and then started to smoke/catch on fire. He got back in time to deal with the situation though.
The fire alarm was damn loud, and the fact that the building wasn't going to burn down restored my hope of meeting the firemen. However, the smoke was gross, so we opened windows, and held doors while we waited. Alas, it was to no avail...the firemen never showed up. I think someone called them and told them it was a false alarm. Mind your own business people!
So here I sit, smelling like smoke and burned hot dogs (it's really gross) with no date. I've just febreezed the entire hallway upstairs and down, and I've opened windows all over the place. On the bright side, I did get outside today, at least for a few minutes. So that's my almost life and death experience for the day.
Moral of the story: if you're going to set something on fire (actual or pseudo), or even subject people to a loud fire alarm, make sure the firemen actually show up!
That thought only took half a second to go through my head, and then the next thought was "WHAT do I take?". I was betting on the fact that it was a false alarm, so ruled out the entire computer. But just in case, I grabbed both flashdrives and the back-up hard drive and threw them in my purse. Conveniently it already contained my wallet, sunglasses, cell phone, and a movie stub from a movie I saw before Christmas (how helpful). Picture albums? Seattle, my favourite childhood teddy bear? Lunch? Make-up so I look presentable when the firemen get here? No time for any of that. Gloves and hat - check. Coat (it's winter after all) - check.
I entered the hall and immediately started coughing on the smoke (OMG, an ACTUAL FIRE?!?) - should I go back for the laptop?
There was a guy loitering on the front stoop (to rob me of my last earthly possessions?), but he lives here and told me that it's his apartment that's smoking. "On fire?" I asked him. But no, he's too calm for it to be a fire. Just lots and lots of smoke. Apparently he went to school, forgetting about the pot of water he was boiling. It boiled down and then started to smoke/catch on fire. He got back in time to deal with the situation though.
The fire alarm was damn loud, and the fact that the building wasn't going to burn down restored my hope of meeting the firemen. However, the smoke was gross, so we opened windows, and held doors while we waited. Alas, it was to no avail...the firemen never showed up. I think someone called them and told them it was a false alarm. Mind your own business people!
So here I sit, smelling like smoke and burned hot dogs (it's really gross) with no date. I've just febreezed the entire hallway upstairs and down, and I've opened windows all over the place. On the bright side, I did get outside today, at least for a few minutes. So that's my almost life and death experience for the day.
Moral of the story: if you're going to set something on fire (actual or pseudo), or even subject people to a loud fire alarm, make sure the firemen actually show up!
posted by Lisa at
3:50 p.m.
2 Comments:
While as a child I kept my toys in a bag under the bed in case of fire, that wouldn't work so well for me now (I'm sure Monsterella wouldn't appreciate being bagged). So on the bright side, you had time to think about THINGS to take instead of trying to coax and defiant but terrified cat out from under the bed and into her carrier (therefore, I'm assuming you're not bleeding and wondering about the quality of your last tetanus shot); also by sending NO firemen, they didn't send BRAD. Be thankful for the small things :) - though had there been cute firemen, I'm sure you would have wrangled ME a date as well...
By
Shannon, at 4:48 p.m.
When Burns Bog was on fire last summer, I did some thinking about what I'd take with me if it came close enough to my house for us to be evacuated. I settled on my laptop, photo album, teddy bear, jewelry box and the porcelain I bought in Russia. This is assuming that someone ELSE is carrying the dog. It's sad yet reassuring to know that the material things you value most can pretty much fit into a single banker's box.
By
Anonymous, at 7:52 p.m.
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