In the Heat of the Moment

We were fast asleep in a motel somewhere between Charleston and Savannah when we were awakened by this frightening, loud blast of noise that didn't stop.    Even though our minds were fogged with sleep, we knew it was the fire alarm.

Here's where I'm supposed to say we rushed out of our room to safety outside.  However, that's not exactly how it happened.  It was more like everything we've ever known about fire safety got tangled up in the cobwebs of our sleepiness and we were unable to access it.  Mentally we went from being educated individuals to functioning like kindergarten dropouts.  

We all know that the first thing anyone is supposed to do in a fire is feel the door for heat.  That seems easy enough.  You'd think I'd at least get that part right.  And you'd be wrong. No, I whipped the door open, stuck my head out, looked down the hallway and didn't see flames or smell smoke.  

Next I put my shoes on, grabbed stray clothes, stuffed them in my suitcase, grabbed hanging clothes out of the closet, got toiletries, phone, computer, power cords, books, magazines....by now my arms are pretty full.  As I was exiting the room, I dropped the dental floss.  I kid you not, I bent over and picked it up.  That's right - I potentially risked my life for a partially used roll of dental floss that retails new for ninety-seven cents.  Wow.  That was monster dumb.

I am embarrassed of my behavior.  It was totally the wrong way to act in a crisis.  And where was my husband while I was scooping things up?

He was busy getting dressed.