What do you do when your apartment building is on fire?
What do you do when your apartment building is on fire?
Halfway through a rich, smooth mug of coffee, the building emitted a slight shutter similar to that first movement aboard a train prior to leaving the station. Next several industrial strength doors slammed. Keep in mind, that both Gayle and I are wrapped in our terry robes, our biggest decision is whether to take another bite of a flaky chocolate croissant or another sip of our heavenly brew. Puzzled, I modestly peered out the window to see an immense red truck labeled Sapeurs Pompiers de Paris.
Then four silver capped black Pompiers began pulling out hose and looking in my direction. Gayle is frantically looking in our dictionary and tells me that Pompiers is French for fireman. I remind her that Sapeurs sounds like sappers that were used in World War II to clear minefields and disarm bombs. I quickly came to two hasty conclusions: a bomb has been found in our building undoubtedly to blow up two American tourists or our building is on fire. Gayle immediately wonders if perhaps we should being doing something other than looking out our windows. Something in the order of packing, getting dressed, and preparing for a hasty evacuation.
I on the other hand know that this is news in the making! The Selby blog will be on the cutting edge if we survive. As my mind swirls with waves of self importance, it hits me that they are looking our way because I am still leaning out our window, my robe slightly parted, taking pictures with my digital camera. Hey, I would look too!
They got back to business and started running hoses to the next apartment over. Three large reels of hoses snaked in 100 foot coils. They were bracing for that moment that all firemen live for, a hose bursting with water pressure and somewhere to shoot it. But the tension slid from their shoulders, hats started coming off and long heavily gestured conversations started. One of the fireman/demolition experts even drew out a pack of cigarettes and lit up. The fire was out. I suspect it was caused by trying to jam “une baguette traditional” into a toaster.
Later that day, when we logged onto the internet from our mobile office in a park close to our favorite falafel shop we read these headlines, “Paris Hotel Fire Kills at Least 20 People” By JAMEY KEATEN, Associated Press Writer “PARIS - People screamed to be rescued from flames — some even jumped from windows — as a fire roared through a Paris hotel early Friday…” Thankfully there was no mention of my parted robe, camera or window gymnastics to get you guys the whole scoop. Even more appreciated was the fact that this happened somewhere else! Our hearts go out to those who suffered and perished!
PS: We are off on our first long distance excursion to Beaune Monday and Tuesday. No computer but will blog when I return. I have one waiting to go but Gayle nneds to correct my horrible grammer!
Picture Set 1
Picture Set 2
posted by Bob and Gayle @ 4:21 PM
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