There's a new rule in our household. ANY TIME we're home the doors in the apartment must be unlocked, or have the key in them, ready to be unlocked. From the first night in this apartment, Duane, in the interest of safety and since our windows all have bars on them, has kept the key in the front door at night as it is locked from the inside. He told me if there was ever a fire, every moment would count and that having the key in the door was necessary.

Well, apparently, and not surprisingly to me, Duane is absolutely correct. A couple nights ago there was a fire on the 5th floor. The renters were out and returned home to a blazing fire, which was somehow started from the TV plug. Here on the 2nd floor, we had no idea. That night someone did ring our doorbell, but by the time we got to the door, no one was there and we figure'd it was a joke.

The next day the cleaning ladies told me about the incident and told me that firemen had come and that the apartment had been destroyed. There were no alarms. In fact, our apartment doesn't even have a fire alarm and I'm led to believe, now, that the building doesn't either. There is only a fireman who pulls "pranks" on people. Yikes!