Office Emergency

Just a few minutes ago I was sitting in my cube listening to the newest episode of Keith and The Girl – which is a great show and you should all listen to their podcast, when I heard the public safety loudspeakers click on overhead.  I took my earphones out and listened for either a fire drill or a run for your life type of evacuation announcement. 

After a solid ten seconds of waiting a man who sounded slightly nervous began to speak, which is far from the strong and masculine voice held during a fire drill.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, this is your building fire safety director…”

I immediately clicked control + alt + delete, logged off my desktop and grabbed my sweater, scarf, and jacket while remaining seated.

“I just want to let you know that I have received word from the New York City Police Department that…”

My heart was ready to explode to the emergency exit, especially since a flock of geese flew by earlier that looked like a plane flying to Manhattan, and got my nerves rattled for flight down the emergency stairs.

“…there is massive gas leak in the vicinity of “x and y”.”

I saw the three faces around me turn pale and begin to have a slight look of panic.

“And that gas leak has been contained.”

WTF?!?!?! 

“Should we receive word of any change to this situation, I will keep you all abreast.”

WTF!?!?!

First off, nobody even knew of the dangerous situation that has now been “contained”, and since you apparently did, why didn’t you let us know about it why there was a danger?  Let alone why did you let us all know after the fact that everything is all clear so we can worry that something MIGHT go wrong.

So, if anyone sees a giant fireball emanating from Long Island City while comfortably sitting inside their office in Manhattan, please let everyone know via comments on this blog, that BeehiveHairdresser will cease to exist due to death by gas explosion.

Thank you.

Also, in hindsight of the situation, I know realize that at the sound of whomever begins speaking when I know that no fire drills are scheduled I should just throw all of my clothes on me and head for the stairs.  No need to let myself get stuck in stairway traffic for some 45 floors.

It’s better to be the safe nut who ran down all the stairs when nothing was definitely wrong, than to be the person who waited too long to act.