Have you ever noticed that when a car alarm goes off no one is alarmed or comes to help? How about a fire alarm? Schools, of course comply, but, have you ever been in a department store when one goes off?
A few years ago I was shopping in Oak Brook when Macy’s was still Marshall Field’s. I was looking for a wedding gift when the fire alarm went off. Shoppers looked around, shrugged their shoulders, and kept shopping. After a few minutes, an announcement came on to vacate the building, and still, folks lagged behind, finished their purchases, or continued to browse. That day there really was a small kitchen fire.
Last Friday, the Moonies met at a local Elmhurst coffee shop, Elijah’s, for coffee and chitchat. We do that, though not as often as we used to. Time, the economy, whatever . . . we still manage to meet up when we can. There we were, about seven of us, carrying on two or three separate conversations, weaving in and out of each other’s dialogue, as well as other patrons, the grind of the espresso maker and the laughter of people winding down after a long week, when the fire alarm went off. We all looked at each other as if we had never heard it before. Mind you, most of us were educators or otherwise spent a great deal of time in buildings where fire alarm procedures were visible and strictly adhered to.
We finally decided we should leave the building. Purses and lattes and mochas in hand, single filing out the door like the obedient girls we were, we congregated on the sidewalk where other tenants of the strip mall were also emerging, squad cars and fire engines wailing in the distance, each of us still talking; to each other, other tenants, the fire and police department.
Coffee time is serious business.
Fortunately, there was no fire, the premises were checked, the all clear brought us all back in and we didn’t miss a beat.
As I was driving home, I got to thinking that maybe in a few years we should form a coffee chorus. You know, something like the Young at Heart Chorus. Click on below and catch a few bars from YouTube.
How about it, girls?
Wow, you have had quite a week with alarms and strange things – first the bank and now coffee interrupted! I don’t doubt that the conversations never stopped, even in the parking lot
I can actually sort of visualize the whole event taking place and the banter back and forth about whether the alarm was real or not and whether or not to take your lattes with you etc. I can also picture you and the Moonies forming a chorus group!
Ah, you have a vivid imagination. When we go on tour, we will make sure to have a concert in your neck of the woods, Katy.
Loved the blog and the video. Coffee time is to important to be interrupted with a mere fire alarm. We have way to much to talk about.
We never run out of things to ruminate over, do we? Go, Moonies!
You bring back so many memories. Remember the day of the fire alarms at Hamilton Hall? Isn’t that one of the first days you spent with Tom?
The movie Young at Heart is near and dear to my heart. My Dad and Stepmother were in a similar group. It was called the Silvertones. You had to be over 50 to be in it. That seemed old to me then. They traveled and sang too. My Dad was a decent singer and often the comedy relief. My Stepmother is a classically trained musician but didn’t mind getting silly. My former and much loved Mother-in-law was in the group too. Young at Heart is a wonderful movie.
Good ol’ 6th floor Hamilton. I think it is being torn down and, yes, there was a fire drill on one of our first dates, and several more. Tom actually has a very old fire alarm, the brass kind with a chain you pull, that was from Central School when they were getting ready to tear it down. We were trying to find it to take a picture for this posting and it just didn’t want to show up.
I didn’t know your stepmom was classically trained. What a wonderful memory you must have of the Silvertones. I love the group Young at Heart. Unfortunately, you probably remember my singing abilities and I will never be part of a chorus.
Oh my gosh…could they be any cuter! Can they be hired? hehehe.
Somehow I sensed that you would find the Young at Hearts cute, Jennifer. Did you click onto the one singing Staying Alive? You’ll love it! Try to rent the movie.
We do have our priorities and nothing can stop us, even a fire alarm….and once a Moonie, always a Moonie! Can you see that in our Obit- and she belonged to the Moonies…
Ah, yes . . . a faithful follower of lattes and mochas.
I look forward to seeing you all in your “coffee chorus”!
You can say you “knew us when”.