Life on the run can be interesting…
We had a good day yesterday at the hotel. Enjoyed our room, had a great breakfast, my son did Uber eats for lunch and the ate dinner with my sons family.
Great day… what could go wrong.
Settled in for the night .. in our pjs and the. The alarms go off. First I thought it was from our phones because we keep getting hurricane alerts … then I realized it was the fire alarm and we are on the 6th floor. I grab my shoes, purse and phone, but Sweetie is I a tizzy and can’t figure out what to do. I say put your shoes on and let’s go.
Fumbles trying to get the shoes on. Then kicks them off runs, strips off his pjs and try’s to get his pants on. Then back to his shoes. Couldn’t get him to hurry up and just added to his frustration. Finally we’re about to go out the door and he says I need my jacket.
I already had his sweatshirt in my hands… out the door we go. I back track cause my sons room is in the other direction and he’s got the kids… however there are three adults in his room including his fil who happens to be an former marine and a doctor.
Hallway is filled with smoke and I pound on the door.. no answer so I figure they are already gone. Can’t get Sweetie in second gear to get to the exit and stairway … he’s confused
Finally get to the stairs and it’s a nightmare. People dragging their suit cases, women on walkers, dogs fighting each other cause their owners have no control over them. Start to make our way down and Sweetie wants to help a women and her husband cause she’s using a Walker, but I can see the husband has everything under control.
I pull Sweetie with me and as we go down the first flight of stairs I can see my son and his family behind me. Ok we’re close together. The woman in front of me is very unstable and starts to fall. She carrying all sorts of crap, phone, water bottle, a bag and other stuff. I see her stumble and I grab and catch her. She’s obviously very disoriented. She daughter is several people in front of us and half way down the stairs. She looks up and yells… mom your sweater is wrapped around your feet.
I had already spied that and had pulled it up. Down we go. Visions of 9/11 and people trying to get out of the building. We get backed up on the 4 th floor and come to a standstill. Finally we make our way out but find ourselves in the enclosed outdoor pool area, not out of the building.
My son pushes ahead and finds the door into the building… out the lobby we go into the covered garage. People streaming out the doors with dogs that are dog reactive s, kids crying, and the blaring of the fire alarm so loud we are all covering our ears. Dogs continue to bark at each other. One fellow has a huge German Shepard without a lease. The dog stays by his side and sits as soon as the fellow stops. It was a wonder of calm in a sea of chaos
Fire truck comes zooming in and the firemen jump into action. Into the building and up the stairs s they go to the 6th floor where we were. Amazing to watch their actions first hand. Finally the alarm goes off and people start going back into the building.
I stop when I see all the firemen and shake each hand and thank them for what they did. They look sulfides at me and said no one ever does that. I think these guys are heroes and tell them how much I appreciate their courage and service. One huge fireman …every bit of 6’6” hunk of a man looks like he’s about to cry over my words. I think of Harriet’s son.
The smoke and fire were caused by burnt popcorn in someone’s microwave. It was the first thing I thought of because I recognized the smell. That’s because it’s happened many times by teachers. Other people were saying the same thing as we went down the stairs
We get back to our rooms and I have to turn the a/c cause our room smelled like smoke. Sweetie was still confused but I finally got him back in his pjs and into bed.
Now if that wasn’t exciting enough during the middle of the night, Sweetie wakes up and starts screaming and tearing the bed apart fasting there were spiders in the bed!!! That will get you moving. Turns out it was a horrific dream he was having.
I’m gonna need a vacation after this vacation
He helpfully did some work in the kitchen yesterday in the early morning hours - I heard every slight noise and started kind of tracking what he must be doing, and that was the end of my sleep then.
Might not time will tell.