One of my least favorite moments in time (okay … absolutely most hated), is when the fire alarm goes off in the hotel. The piercing blast of the horns, rudely shaking me from whatever I’m doing, coincides with an intense and immediate sick feeling in my stomach. My thoughts are equal part, “I hope everyone and everything is okay” and, “I wonder how inconvenienced (and probably mad) all of our guests are going to be, thanks to this obnoxious intrusion.”
I just hate it.
(Incidentally, whenever I’m in some other establishment and the sirens start to blare, my first thought is enormous sympathy for that manager, that poor bastard, whoever he or she is.)
Almost as upsetting as the alarm, and only because the audible invasion is missing, is when I come around the corner on my way to work and see the fire truck, lights flashing, sitting in front of the Antlers. Same thoughts exactly … “Oh Damn! Please let everything be okay”, and “How mad are they all going to be?”
Today was one of those days.
Happily, when I pulled over and spoke to Sean, one of Vail’s finest, he uttered those two words I was dying to hear …”Burnt toast”. It happened to be in 317. Additionally, the fact that it happened at 9AM and not 2AM goes a LONG way toward alleviating the “upset guests” part of my concern. Hallelujah.
Next problem please.
-Rob
Rob,
I used to feel the same way when I was an RA in college. Getting back to the dorm for my shift with campus police or rescue sitting out front was always a little unsettling.
You all do a great job at Antlers. We’ll take burnt toast over the alternative any day.
Robert
We set off the smoke alarms once at the Antlers when we burned something in the oven, but ran out on the balcony with the pan to avoid a visit by Vail’s Finest. Glad the problem was solved without incident. By the way, “Burnt Toast in 317” would make an excellent name for a rock band.
We heard them this morning, but as this is the first year we haven’t set them off, assumed it was nothing to be worried about!!! Of course the week isn’t over, but fingers crossed it isn’t us the next time!