Another Reason to Leave Boston*

2:32am May 1st, 2007 ((siren, light and voice fire alarm go off, throwing nightgown on, sticking my head out the front door, seeing neighbor walking the hall, ringing small hand bell))

What's going on?

Im ringing the alarm

Is it a fire?

I dont know

Well Im coming down anyway

Do you want me to wait for you?

Oh no Man, Im all set, Im right behind you

2:37am May 1st, 2007 ((walking down the hall in boots, no socks, jeans, no drawers, nightgown on backwards, coat, zipped up, cell phone in pocket, pocket book on arm containing passport, wallet, keys, tying hair up in scarf, ol' lady neighbor in hallway))

The second alarm didnt ring

I know

I hate when this happens

Me too

Ima call down to the front desk and see what's happening

Hmm Okay ((leaving down the staircase, walking down from seven, with the other Black and Latino neighbors who are from the 'hood and dont play with no fire alarm in the middle of the night, wtf?))

2:39am May 1st, 2007 ((out front now with seven fire trucks, three with their ladders up, Black female firefighter putting the hydrant together, two ambulances, three police cars, NBC news truck, three nosey a$$ cab drivers, the street cleaner zamboni, about forty of my neighbors, some inside the doorway with young children and newborns, Im crossing the street with my photographer neighbor))

Hey!

Hey Gurl!

Im tired of these people burning their food ((taking pictures))

Okay?!?! But what are they cooking? I burn my food all the time and I never set off the whole building. If you open the front door the whole building goes off! Take some pictures off those fools on their terrace looking off...

I dont have my long lens. I met that chick who had the fire last time. She's not wrapped too tight ((circling left ear with index finger))

Yeah, I met her on the grocery store bus one time.

Well, once she told me that the white woman who was running against Deval Patrick...whats her name?

I know who you mean

Well once she told me that Kerry Healey had some good points during the debates? I stopped speaking to her.

Sayin'! I just got back to sleep. I fell asleep with the TV on, and the Emergency alert woke me up at 12 Midnight, talking about some Amber Alert. Non-custodial parent taking her child? I just got back to sleep... and then this!

Too many false alarms, I wouldnt be down here now, except to take pictures.

Well, being Im from New York, I leave any building that sounds any alarm of any kind.

I understand. We have a lot of new young mothers in the building. 

They do need to keep it full

Yeah but they gonna make a mistake like they did when the building first opened

What's that?

Moving in a whole bunch of folks who ((whispering)) ...dont know how to live Downtown

Un uhn! ((laughing))

See you later!

Alright!

2:47am May 1st, 2007 ((still across the street, calling my sister on the cell, she picks up groggy))

Hello?

Hey, sorry to call you. But Im outside my building with six firetrucks, two EMS and the Eyewitness News

Un uhn!

I wouldnt have called, but it looks serious. They have three ladders up on the building. Man, we were just taking about carrying your box out during a fire. All I had to take this time is my passport, license and debit card. I can replace everything else with those.

Wow!

Well, Im just calling to say Im okay. Ill call back if the building blows up or something

No we can stay on longer

Okay... Sayin' its almost three oclock. Im never out this late, even when I go to the club, Im home by now. Im seeing stuff Ive never seen before. Empty cabs, I even saw a street cleaner machine! I been here six years and Ive never seen the street cleaner!

((both laughing))

I even saw a Black lady firefighter with dreds out front hooking up the hydrant.

Yeah?

They say it was somebody's stove again. But I wanna know how you can have a kitchen fire on an electric stove. Then again, when you cooking and your alarm goes off, everybody knows you wave it with a kitchen towel and open a window... what is it? Deydohknow? This their first apartment??!?! 

Okay?!?!?

Oh ...they retracting the ladders, so I guess we can go back in. Sorry to call so late.

That's okay

Alright, Ill talk to yall later

3:15am May 1st, 2007 ((crossing back, walking toward building, talking to the Sista Firefighter))

Hey

Hello

((whispering)) Im glad to see a Sista working on the force. Im proud to see you.

Thank you.

3:17am May 1st, 2007 ((in the lobby, with neighbors all in pajamas, boots and coats, hair f*cked up, trying to listen to the convo between security and the Firemen to get the scoop))

Can we go up? Are the elevators on?

I hope so, I dont wanna walk up

I know what you mean

I smell smoke

Me too

((Big Burly Black Fireman in Charge makes an announcement))

Yall can go upstairs now, its safe

((half the neighbors stay downstairs to get the gossip, I go upstairs, Its a small building, I can get the scoop tomorrow morning))

3:45am May 1st, 2007 ((calling downstairs to security, leaving a message))

Hi. This is ChezNiki in seven twenty-six its about ten of four and the fire alarm in my apartment is still on. When you get a chance... not an emergency or anything, could you call back and tell me if I should leave out again or what? Thanks.

3:49am May 1st, 2007 ((phone ringing, reading Caller ID, its Security calling back)) 

Hello?

Hi. This is Eddie from Security.

Yeah

Everything's okay, Grinell is coming out now to turn those alarms off. Their truck just pulled up outside.

Oh okay. What happened earlier?

There was strong smoke coming out of the laundry room through the vent all the way up to nine and ten and I didnt want to take no chances

No. No, gotta play it safe. Nothing wrong with that. Okay, well thank you.

Okay. Good Night. 

* I sleep naked