How Did We Get So Lucky?

Nothing like a little Firefighter Wesley stopping by your house to make your afternoon complete!  

Our new neighbor's fire alarm was going off  .... FOR SEVERAL HOURS ... and I guess when that happens, or when another neighbor gets so tired of hearing that obnoxious noise ... the firefighters arrive.  

I had already tried to shut off the breaker but that didn't stop the alarm ... so the Captain suggested I try to track down the owner and explain the situation to her.  Hmm, easy enough.  I knew a few people who might have her number.  In Agritopia ... it's like a little 6 degrees of separation game!  You just have to find the person who knows the person who ... 

Well, I finally got in touch with her and I think it might be the single strangest conversation I've ever had with an adult.  I told her not to panic but her fire alarm was going off and that it would be helpful if she was able to turn it off.   This is almost painful to retell:

Neighbor:  really, REALLY long pause "I don't understand."

C:  The alarm is going off.  I already tried to shut off the breaker but it is running on a back-up battery so it needs to be turned off manually.

Neighbor:  REALLY, REALLY long pause "I don't know how to do that."

C:  Just shut the breaker off.  It's really clearly marked "FIRE DETECTOR" and find the culprit and remove the battery.

Neighbor:  REALLY, REALLY, REALLY long pause "I've never done that."

C:  Well, the Gilbert firefighters have already been out here.  They suggested I call you and tell you the situation.  Are you coming back tonight?  No, okay tomorrow?  Fantastic.  Just wanted you to know.  (In my head ... "there is nothing I'd like to listen to that is more fun that a high pitched beep for the next 12 hours!")

Is it just me of it you heard your fire alarm was going off and you heard the fire department had already been to your home ... wouldn't you be SLIGHTLY motivated to come shut it off?

No worries ... J Howard would like it if her alarm went off once a day!  He got a hat ... a sticker and a photo with Firefighter Wesley.  Add that to the chocolate ice cream cone that he is WEARING all over his face ... he had the makings for a perfect summer evening!  As for me ... I had the ceiling fan, a floor fan, a sound machine and a baby monitor going to block out the noise!  It was a night of pure BLISS!