Well, Damnit...

I woke around 3:30 this morning to the sound of the fire alarm in the hall of the apartment building. Popping my head out my door, I saw smoke billowing out from underneath the door of the apartment next to mine.

I grabbed wallet, cell phone, keys, and cockatiel and joined the door knocking brigade. The people that live across the way from me didn't think to get their love birds--a damned shame as the little birds were dead from smoke inhalation by the time the firemen had the fire out.

So, I stood in the street with everyone else from the apartment building--the lady who lives next door works the night shift and wasn't at home at the time of the fire. I was shoeless, wearing a t-shirt and shorts, and wondering what I would miss if my apartment went up, too.

Not much, really. I decided that I would miss my books, CD collection, and my photos. Everything else could be replaced with varying degrees of ease. My divorce papers and legal papers would have to be figured out, but that was just annoying, not painful.

Clothes, computers, furniture--all can be replaced. And, for a guy who once lived out of his car for a month, I know that I can weather any discomfort placed in my path.

But what about the wedding pictures? I don't look at them often, but it would hurt to think that they aren't there anymore. And the pictures of friends and family--some that I still see, some that I don't--it would be painful to not have them.

Well, the bright side is that I didn't lose anything. The entire damned place smells of smoke, and all my clothes reek, but the fire didn't spread. Here's a little word of thanks to Denver Fire Department for taking care of the situation before it spread.

Now, about those clothes...