So much for being well-rested

As I write this, it is 4:12am. The fire alarm just stopped going off. It began before 3:30am. This is an interesting way to meet your neighbours - everyone in pjs, sleepy, deafened by the alarm, frustrated. Luckily, I was still awake when it went off. In my pjs, of course, but awake and reading my Agatha Christie novel. I don't think that many others in my building were so lucky. There is a large rain and wind storm tonight. The wind is actually quite scary. The power has been flickering a bit, and I'm guessing that this is what triggered the alarm. What's kind of funny is that no one actually went outside, at least not at the door where I was stationed. We all sat on the stairs and stared at each other with "Please, God, make it stop!" expressions on our faces. The fire alarm sounds like a recess bell from public school, and it is freaking loud. I took my book with me, and managed to read a few pages, even in all of the hullabaloo. Apparently there was something wrong with the superintendents' phone, so it took them over 30 minutes to get here and shut the darn alarm off. It also took 5 tries to get it completely shut off, so I came home and took off my shoes, then put them back on, and then took them back off 3 times. I'm going to need some more tea to soothe my frazzled nerves. The actual experience wasn't too bad, but the constant alarm sound was horrible. I should have gone outside, even in the wind and rain storm, just for the quiet.

I was thinking back, and this is the third false fire alarm since I moved in here 6 months ago. At least we know we have a fire alarm and we know (all too well, I'm afraid) what it sounds like. And it still doesn't notify the supers. It still doesn't notify the fire department. We still have to wait around awkwardly until it gets shut off. Errrgggg....