019/100 days of aspirin

A more exciting end to the day than planned, when the fire alarms in the building went off.
It hadn't really twigged what that would mean with a broken ankle, because of course you can't use the lifts in a fire.

I rang the landlord. I assumed it was a false alarm as I couldn't smell any smoke. A neighbour saw me and went downstairs, I could hear loud conversations about what was going on. The landlord's representative called me back and said the fire brigade were en route. I packed my phone, purse and keys into a bag and sat on my wheelie chair by the open door to my flat, crutches to hand.

Mild panic, with the door open the alarm was very very loud. And I had no idea what was going on. Wondering how long it would take to get down the stairs on my bum. Wondering how long I would have to stand around outside before everything was back to normal if there really was a fire. I didn't see any more neighbours, presumably they were all outside.

When the fire brigade arrived they quickly reassured me, they thought it was a false alarm, they were just checking the building for any sign of fires, and the off switch.
A friend a couple of blocks away heard the sirens and saw the goings on, kept messaging me throughout.

It can't have been the first time in my life I was completely unable to help myself. I remember a sailing lesson on Loch Insh, being able to bring the boat around into the wind and "park" it. Thinking clearly, if I get into difficulties, I am jumping into the water and swimming for shore, that's my exit plan. Being literally out of my depth. But in modern life, those incidents are few and far between.

The fireman told me, if it was a real fire, I would be thrown over his shoulder and carried down the stairs. But luckily I was just a girl sitting in a doorway.