There was some drama in my neighborhood last night. When I stepped out of the shower, colored lights were flashing through my living room. I looked out my window and saw two firetrucks right outside, one with it's ladder extended to what appeared to be the window directly below mine. There was a large crowd gathering on the street which was currently blocked off by police cars. The people all seemed to be staring up at my building. I thought for a moment. Could my building be on fire? Were these fire-personnel about to climb up that ladder and instruct me to climb down with them? Should I be at all concerned?

I threw on some clothes and went outside to see what was going on. I spoke to a woman on the street who told me that the salon next door to my building had burnt down. When I looked, I saw that the ladder was extended below my window, and across to the roof of the salon. It was a complete mess. Luckily no one had been inside.

Fire scares me. You wouldn't know it considering that I have 8000 candles all over the place. Or the fact that I am always using my curling iron before racing out of the house for work, never completely sure I remembered to unplug it before leaving. Or the fact that just last week I accidentally left my oven on all night and all the next day. (That's a completely true story - I was quite shocked to come home and find the kitchen exceptionally warm.)

What is really creepy is that I had been oblivously showering at the very moment that my building could have been being evacuated. Also, if you opened my bedroom window, you could spit on that salon if you wanted to (though why you would want to, I don't know). It's that close - about three feet. At least I wasn't showing the apartment last night.   ¶ 3:55 PM