Last night we arrived in Wilmington, NC, for just the one night at a Hampton Inn. (We’ve since relocated to an Airbnb closer to the shore for a few days after that.)
But two nights ago, ah yes: the stuff of which memories are forged:
We were spending our second night at a Sleep Inn in Charleston, SC. At 5:00 AM, I was awakened by The Missus, beating me (lightly but unmistakably) on the shoulder. Of course both my hearing aids were on the night stand, but she at least had had the presence of mind to turn on the light there, too. Result: I could at least see her lips forming a one-syllable word starting with F, followed by I—
“Fire?!?” I exclaimed, fumbling for the hearing aids. She was already donning some kind of wrap but yes-yes-yes, she affirmed, waving me to hurry. I donned one hearing aid (the main one) and an overshirt, not stopping for my phone, laptop, camera, or anything else. On my way to the door I saw The Missus emerging from the bathroom and I thought, Good idea. I ducked in there myself, “drained the keg” (as the saying goes), and then, finally, made my way to the door behind The Missus.
It was open partway, and we could see people milling around in the hallway looking very confused and tired. And then I looked down, and realized I was just in the overshirt, my undershirt and undershorts. NO PANTS. I backed away from the door, turned to one side and the other, started to walk back into the room—
And then The Missus was back. Never mind, she said, False alarm.
So, not really a Big Story. But it might’ve been. We’re just glad that for once, recently, drama passed us by.