Alright, I'm just clearing out the brainhurt now...
A while back, a few maintenance guys came by to check out the fire alarm and sprinkler system. This involved nearly flooding the adjacent theater's parking lot by purging it out a random hole in the rear exterior wall of the store, refilling it, and setting off various non-destructive parts of it half a dozen times.
It's also rumored that the fire chief or someone showed up for an inspection or something. I knew ninjas were loosing their job, but I did not expect this one. Unless he was Mentok, the Fire Chief, and can sign papers via astral projection, he teleported in a puff of smoke, signed the papers, and popped out of existence again.
Never would have suspected a fire chief. Doctor, maybe.
Anyway.
During those times, the alarm would go off now and then--in the back. Where it's a mild hum from the rear, or the lights are hidden.
But, one of those times. one of the sprinklers sprayed and the whole system, sans the rest of the sprinklers, went off full-blast. Bells and whistles audible a block away. Water hosing down the stairs in the stock room.
Flashing lights on red boxes thoughtfully labelled 'FIRE! FUCKING RUN!'
And (unbeknownst to the customers, to turn off the alarm before a pretty red truck showed up), four large men in company T-shirts or blue collars sprinting toward the front doors.
And not a one moved to leave the store. Dozens of customers, staring at flashing lights and large, apparently panicking men and mumbling "What's that noise?" to each no one in particular.
I even answered the nearest one, forced to yell to be heard.
"It's the fire alarm!"
"...Oh. Huh."
A while back, a few maintenance guys came by to check out the fire alarm and sprinkler system. This involved nearly flooding the adjacent theater's parking lot by purging it out a random hole in the rear exterior wall of the store, refilling it, and setting off various non-destructive parts of it half a dozen times.
It's also rumored that the fire chief or someone showed up for an inspection or something. I knew ninjas were loosing their job, but I did not expect this one. Unless he was Mentok, the Fire Chief, and can sign papers via astral projection, he teleported in a puff of smoke, signed the papers, and popped out of existence again.
Never would have suspected a fire chief. Doctor, maybe.
Anyway.
During those times, the alarm would go off now and then--in the back. Where it's a mild hum from the rear, or the lights are hidden.
But, one of those times. one of the sprinklers sprayed and the whole system, sans the rest of the sprinklers, went off full-blast. Bells and whistles audible a block away. Water hosing down the stairs in the stock room.
Flashing lights on red boxes thoughtfully labelled 'FIRE! FUCKING RUN!'
And (unbeknownst to the customers, to turn off the alarm before a pretty red truck showed up), four large men in company T-shirts or blue collars sprinting toward the front doors.
And not a one moved to leave the store. Dozens of customers, staring at flashing lights and large, apparently panicking men and mumbling "What's that noise?" to each no one in particular.
I even answered the nearest one, forced to yell to be heard.
"It's the fire alarm!"
"...Oh. Huh."
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