Panic on Main Street

This morning was exciting. Around 10am I heard sirens, which isn't really that unusual or noteworthy, but they stopped really really close to our office. When I say sirens, I mean S I R E N S. I think the city pulled every piece of emergency equipment out of the barn for this one.

Next I see a Police Officer running from building to building on the other side of the street. He's going in businesses and people are running out after him. So, I'm thinking we'll be greeted in the same manner at some point in the near future.

My officemate and I start looking out our nice big picture window to Main Street. We're chatting about where we'll go when we're told to evacuate. Thinking about how great it's going to be to have a little extra "free" time away from work this morning. As we chat we keep watching the events unfold outside.

The street is blocked by emergency vehicles in both directions. Cars are turning around in the middle of the road to back track and get the hell out of here. People are running (ok, quickly walking) away, all the while looking behind them. Red and Blue lights are flickering everywhere. The street is covered with people in uniform.

Suddenly it hits us - the smell. It's a natural gas leak. We've both started to feel the effects of the odor, the funny taste in your mouth, a sudden headache from the fumes.

Surprisingly, no one ever comes to evacuate us. It looks as though all our neighboring businesses have, but then again - we have an empty store to our south and a family run jewelry store that's hardly ever open to begin with to our north. We start to wonder - do they have something against us because we work for lawyers?

Then we hear from some emergency personnel on the street that our side of the street is safe, the leak is across the street.

Whew. Thank God that if/when that thing blows we'll be all the way over here, on the other side of the street! How can we NOT be safe with those 50 feet across the road on our side?!? Are these people insane?!? If anything blows across the street it's certain doom for us all. The local grease pit "restaurant" is over on that side of the street. If there's any sort of flame - that place will be burning for weeks!

Too much excitement for me - I went to lunch. It was nice to be at home and get rid of my headache. Too bad it came right back as soon as I sat back down at my desk.

It doesn't appear anything blew up and traffic on Main Street is back to normal. Bummer.