It was around 1:00 a.m. The house was quiet.
Jack was away on business. I was sleeping soundly.
Suddenly, a piercing “BEEEEP BEEEEP” shattered the peace and quiet.
Later, I would realize it was the fire alarm testing itself. It likes to do this – test itself in the dead of the night. It sends out two ear-splitting, extra-long beeps, then cackles to itself and slips back into dormant mode for a couple months. You know, until we let down our guard again.
Anyway, last night when I heard the BEEEP BEEEP I was too disoriented to realize what it was. In a panic, I assumed it was the burglar alarm – FREAKY!!
So what do I do?
I leap out of bed and tear down the hall. Right past my kids’ rooms.
Then I round the corner, stumble downstairs and quickly dash over to the burglar alarm TO TURN IT OFF.
Yes. Disarm it. Because I was scared it might beep again.
Then it dawns on me: WHAT AM I DOING?
I am presented with what I think is a burglary in process. And my first instinct is to run head-first into the scene of the crime and disarm our protection system? Really??
What did I think – I would shove the burglar out of the way? Sure, sure. Let’s just assume that happened. I would still be shoving him out of the way so I could accomplish my REAL goal: disarming the house.
Not that any of this really mattered, since it was the fire alarm all along. But still... not good. Back in bed, I lay awake, worried. Could I really trust myself to take appropriate action in an actual emergency? I always assumed yes, but maybe the answer was really NO…
Maybe my natural instinct was not to AVOID the danger, but instead HEAD RIGHT INTO IT.
Wish me luck. In the meantime, I need to go exchange some sharp words with a certain fire alarm.
I am presented with what I think is a burglary in process. And my first instinct is to run head-first into the scene of the crime and disarm our protection system? Really??
What did I think – I would shove the burglar out of the way? Sure, sure. Let’s just assume that happened. I would still be shoving him out of the way so I could accomplish my REAL goal: disarming the house.
Not that any of this really mattered, since it was the fire alarm all along. But still... not good. Back in bed, I lay awake, worried. Could I really trust myself to take appropriate action in an actual emergency? I always assumed yes, but maybe the answer was really NO…
Maybe my natural instinct was not to AVOID the danger, but instead HEAD RIGHT INTO IT.
I don't know. But until I sort this out, I'll need to follow the advice from that old episode of Seinfeld. The one where George decides to "do the opposite." Because if all his instincts are wrong, the opposite must be right. I'm right there with you, Costanza.
Wish me luck. In the meantime, I need to go exchange some sharp words with a certain fire alarm.
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