Of Fire Alarms, Fire Fighters and ..... Neighbourly Sentiments ??

There was a fire alarm in our building a few days ago. Luckily, it was nothing serious, but that didn't prevent it from being extremely ...... Let's just say ....... tiresome. The alarm rang out at 1 o'clock in the morning, just as I was about to go to bed after deciding to give procrastination a chance regarding the work that I had been trying in vain to complete.

  As is expected of a good and responsible citizen, I took my coat out and went down the never - ending flights of stairs ( more proof of me being responsible ) and waited outside in the freezing cold next to a woman trying to  prevent her overly small sized dog from snapping at her neighbour's ankles.

  Even though it may seem as a very adverse kind of situation, it is perhaps the best example of neighbourly love that you can possibly get in a metropolitan city of this day and age. People who would otherwise come out of the house a little late just to avoid having to talk to you; people who are essentially strangers even though they live in apartments separated by a single wall and will complain every time they hear the tiniest of noises from your apartment at night, begin to talk to each other in the cold.

  From what I overheard the other day, it wasn't much nor was it very elaborate. The conversations generally ranged from a half-hearted "It is freezing out here, isn't it?" while rubbing your palms together, to an equally awkward joke cracked by some old man who believes that he is young at heart. And there was one woman who began talking to another one about how her boyfriend had gifted her a very expensive something; something that sounded a lot like a coffee mug in a wrapped box from her description. I am willing to bet that the woman listening couldn't have cared less and thought the one yapping was a douche; that is assuming that they had been acquainted at all before that night.

  Just as I was amusing myself with observing the little things in life that people say matter so much, the firefighters came out of the building and announced that all was well and that my insomnia would be the only that would keep me up further tonight. So, we piled into the building with the alarm ringing like there was no tomorrow and some of the firefighters gathered around the ghastly thing trying to figure out how to turn it off.

  From what I gathered, the metal box which encased the alarm panel was as old and rusty as the supervisor of the building, who was supposed to take care of it, and also as old and rusty as the building itself. And it had decided to avenge its mistreatment by getting stuck in the middle of a winter's night; thereby not allowing us to shut the alarm off. There were about 5 firemen pouring over it trying to pry the damned thing open and let everyone's headaches die down. As ancient as the thing might have been, it was very obstinate.

  It was funny to watch all the men in their well-equipped uniforms fumbling over something as tiny and insignificant as the stupid alarm. Some time later, they finally succeeded, and I finally went home. I probably could have gone back a bit earlier, but my neighbour's dog growled at me every time I tried to get to the elevator and I was too lazy to walk all the way upstairs. Its owner felt it appropriate to let it snap at me as she was trying to entice one of the firefighters, by the looks of it.

  I wonder how that worked out for her ??

  Oh well, at least the next day was a Sunday.