These hazards of smoking, I swear
So a while ago, I was smoking in the fire escape here in the office, where I usually run to when I get the nicotine pangs or when the idea well has run dry. It's a cement bare stairwell that's lit by a yellow incandescent bulb on each floor. Tonight though, three bulbs were busted. The ones on this floor and the two above and below. Darkness. I thought to myself, I can deal with this. Just a little dark, no harm. I left the escape door open to let some light keep me company. (There never was a truer escape door evah.)
So there I am smoking, thinking, drumming my fingers on the side of my jeans when it starts to get darker. I must be seeing things I tell myself. My eyes quickly dart to the left. Did someone just walk by? No, I heard nothing. My eyes must be playing tricks on me. I took another drag and peered into the darkness. Nope. Nothing there. Of course there's nothing there. Why would anything be there? I'm all alone here. Aren't I?
A loud clang made me jump out of my skin. The sound had come from outside. The garbage people must be working late. Whatever. I looked at my cigarette. Shit. only half done. Time seems to crawl when all your senses are on full alert. It was def con 5 as far as I was concerned.
I looked down the middle of the stairway. Long way down. Some of the other floors had busted lights as well. I looked up. Wow, that's a long way up too. I seemed to be caught between some dark limbo. Then I thought, hmmmm. Just then the wheels started turning in my head. You know, spirits like the dark. So much so that they would bust out yellow incandescent bulbs just like the ones we have here.... Ok, fuck this, I'm outta here. I extinguished my three fourths done cigarette on the metal railing and said goodbye to the dark and said hello to the light.
I quietly shut the escape door, taking one last look into the stairwell. Nothing. Damn. I really liked smoking there too. Guess from now on, I'll be making the trek all the way down to the lobby. There's no way in he... ahem. Let's not go there shall we?
So there I am smoking, thinking, drumming my fingers on the side of my jeans when it starts to get darker. I must be seeing things I tell myself. My eyes quickly dart to the left. Did someone just walk by? No, I heard nothing. My eyes must be playing tricks on me. I took another drag and peered into the darkness. Nope. Nothing there. Of course there's nothing there. Why would anything be there? I'm all alone here. Aren't I?
A loud clang made me jump out of my skin. The sound had come from outside. The garbage people must be working late. Whatever. I looked at my cigarette. Shit. only half done. Time seems to crawl when all your senses are on full alert. It was def con 5 as far as I was concerned.
I looked down the middle of the stairway. Long way down. Some of the other floors had busted lights as well. I looked up. Wow, that's a long way up too. I seemed to be caught between some dark limbo. Then I thought, hmmmm. Just then the wheels started turning in my head. You know, spirits like the dark. So much so that they would bust out yellow incandescent bulbs just like the ones we have here.... Ok, fuck this, I'm outta here. I extinguished my three fourths done cigarette on the metal railing and said goodbye to the dark and said hello to the light.
I quietly shut the escape door, taking one last look into the stairwell. Nothing. Damn. I really liked smoking there too. Guess from now on, I'll be making the trek all the way down to the lobby. There's no way in he... ahem. Let's not go there shall we?
4 Comments:
you should be more careful ... not because of the busted lights or the dark, but because when that escape door closes there's no way of opening it from the inside. knocking won't be any help, even in broad daylight it takes awhile.
of course...i didnt like the idea of going all the way down on foot so i just yelled myself hoarse. hahaha.
scared of the dark but not the disease that smoking brings. hmm. i like that.
why again do we always debate about your being a wimp? why on earth? we have no basis!!!
- pollywanna
I'm merely being sensible.
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