Learn from This

In anticipation of the first week of fifth grade next week, Matthew and I reorganized and rearranged his room yesterday. We got rid of the little desk in his room, moved his bookshelf, and made room for a desk area next to his closet. According to the Nakai rite of passage, he now has our little camping table to serve as his homework desk until we buy him a real desk. He's excited about his new format, and I told him we should get a nice lamp for on top of the bookshelf so he can read in bed at night and also a light for his desk. Brian and Elizabeth were trail riding with the team early Saturday morning, so Matthew and I made plans to visit IKEA at that time.

After breakfast today, we rode over to IKEA and got there shortly after it opened at 10:00. I remarked how surprised I was that the parking lot was so full already. "Wow. Lots of people are already here, Matthew!" We parked far away, and as I approached the front door I noted that the restaurant opens at 8:00 so that's probably why it was already so full of customers.

We went up the escalator and began the walk-through upstairs. We looked in every staged room at the lamps and desks to see what might work for him. We were taking our time since there are always a lot of people walking through like a parade. Always. However, when we were about halfway through the maze, the fire alarm went off. The guy behind me dryly said, "Are you kidding me?," and the people in front of me didn't react. In fact, most people were acting like they weren't even hearing it.

Well not me. I'm wired differently.

I looked around for an exit sign, grabbed Matthew's hand, and headed towards it. He shook my hand off of him and said, "Mom, someone probably opened a door." I let go of his hand and told him, "We don't know that. I think we should get out of here as soon as possible." I didn't run. I didn't push anyone. In fact, I followed two exit signs and then didn't follow the third because we were on the upper level and I figured it led to a stairwell. I really am wired differently. I have the impressive ability to immediately think of a worst-case scenario for any situation. I considered the possibility that someone intentionally pulled it and might be waiting in a stairwell to kill people. So we stayed with the crowd and continued through the maze. We didn't stroll like everyone else, though. We passed a lot of people. We passed as many people as we could. Matthew was upset with me, but I didn't falter. We moved with purpose towards the front of the building. An announcement was made, but it was impossible to hear it with the alarm blaring, so we just kept moving at a pace quicker than everyone else.

There was a bottleneck at the stairwell, so that took some time to get down. As soon as we turned the corner on the stairs, we saw that the lower level of the store was filled with smoke. Matthew didn't shake off my hand this time, and we made our way to the door that two employees were holding open for the throng of people. 

a photo I found online this evening -  lots of people had their cellphones out

Just as we walked outside, the fire department was arriving. Relieved to be out, I quipped, "Well that was certainly the most exciting trip to IKEA ever!" And then, "I wonder what's on fire." Matthew said, "Probably my lamp." We looked at each other and laughed, but we never stopped walking. I wasn't going to watch the scene. I wasn't going to wait for the fire to be put out so we could go back in. We went straight to our car and drove home.

On the way, I told him that I learned a valuable lesson today. Whenever you're in a public place and the fire alarm goes off, find the nearest exit and get out. You don't know if it's real, but you act like it is until you know it's not. While we were passing people, I was a bit self-conscious that people might be thinking I was over-reacting by walking quickly past them. I wasn't running, screaming, or panicking, but everyone else was not the least bit concerned. They figured it was nothing. IKEA can't be on fire or Why would they have a fire drill and chase customers out of the store? I thought of those things, too, but--here's my super power again!--I also thought something might be wrong and the risk of dying outweighed the risk of looking stupid to a bunch of strangers. My only regret was following the crowd like a sheep and not going out the very first exit door I saw.

Learn from our experience. When alarms sound, follow the exit signs and leave.

Also, Target has a lovely selection of desk lamps and small table lamps that fit our needs just fine.