I spoke at length in a previous post about how this came to fruition, but our devious apartment has forced us to create a go-bag in case of emergencies. I had the great pleasure of using it this week in the middle of the workday. I was interrupted by the fire alarm, and I jumped into the rehearsed actions that have become second-nature.
Like every other competent remote worker, I arrived to the front of the building with business on top and sweats on bottom. All 40 of us stood on the sidewalk, critiquing the fire alarm’s serenade while staring at an unsurprising lack of smoke.
I start to make light conversation with one of my fellow audience members. He and his wife are like Abby and me in five years. He’s a remote employee not in medicine, and she’s in her second year of residency. They even have a German Shepherd that is bigger and older than ours. It’s uncanny. I’ve had drinks with him a few times, but I’m less familiar with his wife. All 3 times we’ve crossed paths, she has appeared put together… You can probably see where this is going.
Here’s the thing about emergencies: You don’t have time to get put together. Given I was outside on the street in my Sunday comfiest you’d think this was something I’d have internalized. However, when he asked if Abby was on campus, I replied with “Yeah. Lucky her. Is your wife at the hospital?”
His wife was standing between us. “No, she’s right here.” *Wife raises hand.*
Have you ever had to apologize without being able to give an excuse? I apologized for being a horrible person with social shortcomings, and subsequently gave strong consideration to walking right back into the building that may or may not have been on fire. Even in the worst case scenario, it couldn’t have possibly been more uncomfortable than remaining on the sidewalk.