Fire
There was a problem in my PC, which I couldn't fix myself. Therefore,
the IT support guy from my office came to check whether he could do
something about it. We went to my study and logged on to my computer.
As
the man examined my PC, I wondered whether I was supposed to go on
a business trip. I wasn't completely sure whether I was scheduled
to fly to Bangalore in the afternoon. Still, I hadn't received any
tickets nor flight details. Even my calendar was empty.
If
in any case I had to go to the airport, I was beginning to be in a
hurry. There would be the packing and other preparations to be done.
And I hadn't even informed Sari.
In
my mind there flickered a succession of pictures about India. Tropical
heat and lush vegetation combined to throngs of people and noise of
the traffic. The long flight wasn't tempting but the country still
fascinated me. However, I had to fix the computer. And was I supposed
to travel in the first place...?
The
guy from the IT support announced that my computer had now been fixed.
We moved to the kitchen and were prepared to leave the flat, when
we noticed that water was dripping from the ceiling. "Where does
that come from?" I asked. "Probably upstairs," the
IT support guessed.
I
started wiping the water from the floor, but there was so much of
it that any effort at drying was useless. And now the water dripped
from other spots too. In the corridor and the living room there were
growing pools on the floor.
"What's
going on?" I asked. The fire alarm started ringing. To my amazement
lights were flickering all around the house. Clearly these were part
of the fire alarm, even if I had only purchased a very cheap and simple
device. Apparently there was an automatic fire security in the house,
installed at the time of its construction.
I
opened the front door. The corridor leading out was full of smoke.
Further away I could see red flames.
I
closed the door and went back inside. I'd still have a chance to save
some items before the fire would block the way out. Going to the CD
shelf, I studied the albums I wanted to take with me.
The
IT support said he couldn't wait. "I'm going now," he said
and exited from the flat. I stood next to the CDs wondering which
ones I liked.
My
thinking wasn't very clear. I tried to establish whether there was
something else, too, that needed rescuing. The passport, wallet, clothes?
How could I carry everything with me? And did I have the time to collect
all the things I wanted? What about the PC; should I take it out too...?
