I woke up and got out of bed.
WWWWAAAAOOOOWWWWAAAAOOOOWWWWAAAAOOOOWWWWAAAAOOOOWWWW
That’s the noise a house alarm makes when your forgetful housemate sets the alarm
WWWWAAAAOOOOWWWWAAAAOOOOWWWWAAAAOOOOWWWWAAAAOOOOWWWW
with you in the house. You just have to imagine that sound projected in 130-decibel
WWWWAAAAOOOOWWWWAAAAOOOOWWWWAAAAOOOOWWWWAAAAOOOOWWWW
surround sound. If you think that the WWWAAAAOOOWWWWs are disorienting through
WWWWAAAAOOOOWWWWAAAAOOOOWWWWAAAAOOOOWWWWAAAAOOOOWWWW
this post, you should try have it going off in your head first thing in the morning (well,
WWWWAAAAOOOOWWWWAAAAOOOOWWWWAAAAOOOOWWWWAAAAOOOOWWWW
10ish - I’d gone to sleep around 3am). My bed is against the same wall as the alarm
WWWWAAAAOOOOWWWWAAAAOOOOWWWWAAAAOOOOWWWWAAAAOOOOWWWW
sensor for my room, so despite being a restless sleeper I only set it off by standing up in
WWWWAAAAOOOOWWWWAAAAOOOOWWWWAAAAOOOOWWWWAAAAOOOOWWWW
it’s path. I dashed the twenty metres through the house and keyed in the security code
WWWWAAAAOOOOWWWWAAAAOO…beep…silence………..voices of neighbours outside.
I thought I’d better get outside quick and give the neighbours a reassuring nod. But as I was just out of bed, I needed to dress properly, so I ran back to my room, chucked on shirt and pants, and ran back to the front door…which I found locked, because when your housemate sets the alarm, he also deadbolts the door.
I ran back to my room, grabbed my keys, ran back and unbolted the door. I leaned out and gave my neighbours a reassuring wave.
Only later did I remember that I don’t know any of my neighbours by sight - I could have been anyone waving at them.
