Wednesday, April 05, 2006

Why you don't sleep in the buff in hotels...

Fire alarms at 3am.

I had such a nice evening. A farewell dinner with co-workers at Newport Seafood Grill. Shared good calamari and crabcakes appetizers. Had their awesome, perfectly done filet and topped the night off with (shared) Creme Brulee, Ice Cream Cake and the most perfectly tart Lemon Pound Cake I've ever tasted!!

Rasaq and I are the only onces who had wine. I chose a local and very tasty Oregon Pinot Noir. (Remember my low tolerance level, if and when I remember the winery, I'll post.) It started out as a relaxing night and I continued it with a Orange/Manderine bubble bath (thanks Mariah!). Afterwhich, a little bit of X-Files and I was sleeping like a baby.

At least until the bright flashing red lights and blaring alarm started sounding around 3am this morning!! I was having such a good, deep sleep. It was so unexpected that when it happened, I found myself slightly disoriented. I remember wondering if I was dreaming or it was real. A few more seconds and my eardrums starting to throb made it real enough.

What does one think about while prancing around in your hotel room naked? My first thought, as I assessed myself in the mirror: Oh God, my hair! It's a mess!! I quickly try to calm the matted beast. I grab a towel, wet it and wipe my face. I search for clean undies, my jeans and throw on a sweater.

Do I check for smoke? NO
Do I feel the door? NO

I scan around for what to grab.

Hotel Key?
Got it.

Cellphone?
Got it.

Purse?
Nah, Coach Red doesn't really match my powder pink Guess sweater.

Laptop Backpack?
Nah, too friggin heavy. Company will get me a new one if it frys.

Anything else?
Too tired to think, just get the $%^&* out of the room, my ears are killing me!!

I go to the door, no smoke, nothing.
I go down using the stairways.
I get out and join the other 100+ zombies trolling the downtown Portland streets.

We stand in the cold, night air for 45 minutes.
I feel awfully sorry for the older, british couple in their short PJs.
I check my email, nothing new since 10pm.
I call my friends in the East Coast, I talk to their voicemails.

This is probably the 4th time I've gone through a hotel fire alarm - be it false or small kitchen fire. They were OK, the latest being 11pm. I look around and see the different kinds of clothing, sleepwear, laptop roller bags, tossed hair, etc. and secretly laugh to myself.

Suddenly and without warning, everyone starts to move towards the lobby. I wait another 15 mintues before I can get on an elevator. Stairs were locked.
Nice.

I get back into my room, strip everything off and wearily fall back to sleep.

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