last night...

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
last night...
6
Thu, 10-07-2004 - 10:14am
When I got home yesterday evening, I had no idea what kind of excitement was in store for me.

I left work a little early (I was so exhausted from the trip the two days prior!) and I went to the grocery store to pick up a few things and headed home. As soon as I walked in the door of the building, I smeeled something, well, wrong, like an electrical fire. Then I rang for the elevator and it came down with a few people in it and a layer of smoke! And they were all casual about it - "Wow, it smells foul in there. Look, there's even some smoke." Like it was no big deal. So I said, well, I'll call the super, because someone has to do something. The potential gravity of the situation had not yet hit me. Now, DH was out playing golf and Sam was with SIL. I assumed they were home, so I dash up 6 flights of stairs to find that they are out. Whew. Then I realize, shoot, I can't call the super, I need to call 911! So I call and tell them, look, I don't feel heat or see flames, but it smells awful and there is smoke. So within about 5 minutes, 4 fire engines appear at my building and one police car. I let them in and they start looking at the elevator and ask how to get down to the basement. Well, the only way to get downstairs is by the elevator, or to break down the gate that is down the street. So off they go with their axes and break open the gate and I'd say they were there in the building for about 10 minutes tops and then 2 of the fire trucks go away and the police leave and then the other two fire engines leave. So I have no idea what happened! But since they left, i assume everything is ok. It was totally weird. Something was definitely smoldering, I guess they took care of it, but you'd think they'd say - hey it was XYZ, so the next time this happens you can do blah blah blah, you kow what I mean? Like, yes, there was something burning, so call us the next time. Or, it's jsut the elevator malfunctioning, don't worry about it and call the super. So I go back up 6 flights of stairs, try to chill out (no beers in the house! Bummer!) and just proceed to make dinner. DH comes home soon after and Sam and SIL got home around 8 at which point everything seemed to be fine. It was still a little stinky, but not too bad, and the elevator was working properly this morning.

It is a heady experience to call 911. Everything - the rush of adrenaline, the fight or flight mechanism that kicks in. It was very weird. I felt like I needed to seriously download after it all happened.

Of course, firemen are also cute, but in all of the stress I didn't get to see if any of them were sexy, but I think I had good dreams last night.

In the end, I fell asleep on the couch and woke up just as Derek Jeter was sliding into home plate to win the Yankees game, so that was a good note to go to sleep on.

A part of me felt like a real jerk for calling - like, they send 4 fire trucks for a smoke condition? But that's what our taxpayer dollars are supposed to be for, and if something had really been on fire and no one had called, well, that would have been a disaster. I thought maybe they'd send one truck and another one would come later if they needed it. Another part of the whole weird experience. But I'm sorry, I don't want all my stuff to burn down, and I'd rather call and have them check it out since something was definitely wrong. But a part of the weirdness was all the second-guessing myself.

All in all, much more excitement than I needed on a Wednesday.

In the meantime...eating was not good down in AR, but yesterday was good and today is off to a good start. Not sure what the plan is for dinner, but we'll see. As long as it is RELAXING.

--E

Avatar for queenbeana
iVillage Member
Registered: 06-25-2003
In reply to: mama_of_sam
Thu, 10-07-2004 - 10:53am
Wow that would definetly get the adrenaline going.

So has your pulse returned to normal yet? I don't mine would be the same for atleast 2 days. Great job keeping your meal goals on track despite the excitement. :o)

Sabrina

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
In reply to: mama_of_sam
Thu, 10-07-2004 - 11:13am
HOnestly, I'm a little jumpy!

Dh called from the house and I heard Sam in the background (remember, Sam was not at home when all of this happened) and Sam went into the bedroom and said that he saw fire in the bedroom. There was no fire in the bedroom, but he must have figured it out when I was on the phone with SIL or something. Of course DH went to check to see if there was fire, but that just got me going all over again!

I just wish I knew what happened, because I have no idea if my elevator is like about to blow up or something, and that causes me stress. My building is not in the greatest shape - and they don't do repairs often. So there is a bigger stress of thinking about moving to put on top of all of it. Yuck.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
In reply to: mama_of_sam
Thu, 10-07-2004 - 12:42pm

How totally bizarre! First you have all those folks on the elevator not thinking much of what's going on...then the FOUR fire engines, and the cops showing up....then leaving, and not a word of what's happened. I'd be both relieved and confused, lol!


I wonder could you call the fire station to find out what had happened? I know that knowing what the problem was would alleviate any of your concerns....


In any case, I hope your Thursday evening is less eventful ~IG

Happy Halloween!

cl-vi_islandgirl
Getting Fit in Your 30's

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
In reply to: mama_of_sam
Thu, 10-07-2004 - 3:17pm
I wouldn't even know how to find out which fire dept responded to the call. I suppose I could call my building management co, but they don't like me as it is because I busted them for charging us an illegal rent...They would be so happy if we just moved out.

It really was strange!

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-18-2003
In reply to: mama_of_sam
Thu, 10-07-2004 - 4:26pm

Wow..that is really strange!

~~ Steffy ~~
iVillage Member
Registered: 12-04-2003
In reply to: mama_of_sam
Thu, 10-07-2004 - 4:45pm

WOW!