Is how I felt when I took this picture:
False Alarm
Almost every evening around suppertime I hear the faint urgent beeping of a fire alarm going off in small staccato bursts. It gives me a small smile, for some reason, to know that someone on our floor has burnt their supper - again.
Last weekend I came home after spending a nice evening out enjoying a good conversation and eating steak paired with a nice Melbec. I was looking forward to enjoying the apartment to myself when I heard the fire alarm going off. With no smell of smoke and no activity in the hallway I ignored the endless droning sound that conveyed no sense of urgency. That is, until I heard the building manager running down the hallway banging on apartment doors and yelling: EVERYBODY OUT!!
So I did what any sensible adult would do: I grabbed a backpack and filled it with my prized possessions. Which happened to be my Nikon d90 with lenses, and my MacBook Pro. I glanced at the Xbox 360 and hoped it would perish in the fire. I pictured it melted into a puddle on the floor. I also decided to wear my black spring jacket - it looked better with my outfit. A vain mistake I would soon regret.
I headed outside and milled around the doors of the building trying to find out what had happened. A small baby was crying. He was only wrapped in a small blanket, so I suggested he and his mother join me in my car to keep warm. The nights events were pretty anti-climatic after that. I watched steam billowing out of the vents of the laundry room and people in apartment units who peered curiously out at us. The fire department never showed up and we were eventually allowed back into the building. I went to sleep in my clothes, just in case. Color coordinated, of course.
Crazy Lady Steals Fire Extinguisher? or The Story Behind My Wall Post
This week I went to see a specialist at RUH with my son. We ended up having to park in the exorbitantly priced parkade. We took our time leaving, looking at photos of Saskatoon on the walls of the walkway and getting out of the way of the train when it honked its tiny horn at us. We soon desended down the stairs and made our way to the pay station with our parking ticket. A lady was in front of us. As we reached the bottom and took our place in the queue, I watched as the lady in front of us noticed the fire extinguisher located in a box on the wall across from us. Walking over to the fire extinguisher, she first tested the handle to see if the door would open. It did. So she proceeded to slowly open the door and tentively touch the extinguisher. She then took if out from its case, eyed the extinguisher up and down, even testing out its weight. It must have been to her satisfaction because she proceeded to rejoin the queue, right in front of me.
I couldn't believe my eyes, so I decided to take a picture. She noticed that I had my phone out and decided to put the fire extinguisher back. My son was so embarrassed that I would take a picture and I could hear him muttering in protest behind me. Later, when I asked him why he would care what a stranger (and a would be thief) would think I me taking a picture, he angrily retorted: She's obviously ill, Mom. I definitely can't disagree with his statement. I decided to phone RUH, so they could check that they still have a fire extinguisher, but I can't help but wonder what else she has in that big black backpack of hers.
~b~
