It would be too cruel to say we could be named after a well known “Towering” TV series from a few years back now, which is often repeated but always funny, and never dates......I’m no Basil...but I don’t know..could be!

 
Today we had fire drill in the apartment building! Not many seemed to know it was a fire drill that is. I just thought it was another frequent test of the alarms as we couldn’t understand the mumbled metallic voice that came across the intercom beforehand.
 
After a few minutes with the alarm then changing tone to a long slow beep..beep...and no sign of stopping I peaked out the front door and noticed the main glass door was wedged open. Strange ! Then noticed the lifts weren’t working and a few people gathering outside.  Mmmm I thought maybe this isn’t a drill after all.
 
It takes a while for ”the penny to drop”!
 
So a quick change...can’t look too untidy...and made my way outside as a lady carrying her dog agreed that she too couldn’t hear what was being said over the intercom.
“I never heard a thing that was being said” she stated...the dog agreed!
 
So around twenty of us gathered at a designated meeting point ushered along by the security guard. Everyone mostly keeps to themselves...it’s a bit like that in an apartment  building. Little groups known to each other stand and chat and that’s about it. No one really knows their neighbours unless for some unseen circumstance like a fire...FIRE...FIRE!!
 
I phoned some friends that lived higher up and asked if all was well as there’s a fire alarm going. “Oooh thought it was a fire drill...we’ll come down right away” they replied. “you’ll have to use the fire stairs,” I added. “No lifts!”
 
Others joined that had travelled from a much higher floor one lady with a walking stick for support. I don't know how anyone with a walking stick would escape quickly if anything unforseen were to happen but there you are. Maybe a rescue helicopter from the roof...I have no idea!
 
So we gathered, filled out the form to say we were present, the few that were there of course from around a 70 apartment building. There were still some that didn’t bother to leave their apartments I’m certain.
 
A quick talking to the gathered “multitudes” by the council fire chief I guess he was..”Bet you can’t wait to get back to sitting around the pool,” he joked as we looked at each other curiously. Well there was a chill in the air but the numbers HAD now grown to at least 25!... and then we were allowed to go back inside.
 
Many keeping their distance from each other in case they had to speak.
 
No sign of Manuel...he must have still been in the kitchen...but I think I did see a Sybil..or two...or three.     No doubt to all be repeated again soon...just like the TV show! 
 

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