The roof, the roof, the roof is on fire, and I'm pretty sure we need water...

It never fails, even on the most humdrum work day, something crazy has to happen.  I hadn't blogged in the past few days because all I have been doing is working, not so interesting.  Today started as every other day, me rolling around on my futon in the living room, partaking in my morning ritual.  A silent temper tantrum about having to be awake at 9 am.  I showered, put on my 10 layers of clothes and headed out into the beautiful, sunny 20 degree day.

I get to SoHo, stop by the bodega (say it with me now, bo-de-ga), grab 2 coffees and a bagel for me and my boss, arrive 10 minutes late as per usual and get this meat business cracking.  It was our first real busy day.  The people just poured in all lunch break.  Me and the chef handled business, sold a million sandwiches.  The day was busy but so peaceful. I'm going to attribute it to not having to hear the incessant ridiculous self obsessed chatter that pours out of my other co-workers mouth like vomit out of a bulimic girl.  All in all, shit was great. 

My job isn't particularly hard, but being on your feet for 10 hours takes its toll on anyone, so by 8:30, me, chef, and owner were done and ready to go.  I go in the room where we keep our coats, grab my stuff and get ready to reapply my sweet vampy tip making lipstick when chef practically breaks the door down and starts telling me I need to get the fuck out and get outside.  Pretty much, grab your shit and run.  Outside I vaguely hear sirens, but still haven't figured out why I'm being rushed out. 

 Turns out all those sirens were heading towards the blazing fire 2 floors right next to and above the carvery.  No shit.  We rush out of our door right as the fire trucks are filling the tiny little one way street.  I can't even believe it.  This apartment is being engulfed, the flames are not merely licking out of the windows, it is causing them to explode, showering the 800 looky loo bystanders with glass and debris.  As exciting as it is to see, its fucking tragic.  There are people standing in the street in their pajamas, clutching their children and their pets. 

Gotta give it up to NYFD for responding in seconds, and navigating through a sea of uncaring cab drivers, retarded ass bikers and one way streets.  In less than 5 minutes there is about 15 firetrucks wrapped around the surrounding blocks.  The fire is raging almost out of control, the window air conditioner crashes to the ground from 3 stories up in a hail of smoking embers and splintered wood.  A fireman scales the ladder to gain access to the room.  You can hear the flames crackling as they get bigger and bigger, eventually spreading to the apartment above.  We are so close, we can feel the heat and hear the fireman axing the hell out of everything in their way.  

Me, chef, and Bossman stand and watch in awe as water starts to shower out of the windows with such force, it actually hits the windows on the apartment across the street.  The whole time we are looking at each other wondering if the other window air conditioner in the apartment is going to break loose and literally fall through the skylight of our humble little Carvery. Our door was unlocked and nothing could be done.  The crew had it under control in about 25 to 30 minutes, but jeeze, for awhile, I thought the whole building was a goner.  

The scariest thing about a fire in that part of New York is NOT just the fact that everything is old as hell, but its all connected.  Multiple buildings are separated by nothing more than an address, and this particular building shared a damn address with the carvery. If the firemen lose control, it could be catastrophic, taking everything down around it, gutting the brick buildings.  It just made me very conscience to the risks of this type of cramped city living conditions.  

They got the fire under control, and we still have a job to go to in the morning.  Either way, I have just resigned myself to the fact that I may never have a dull moment for the rest of my life.  Which is good for my followers, but bad for my nerves.  On the bright side though, it made me realize that roaches or not, at least I got to come home to my apartment tonight, and sit on my laptop and be safe.  There is a family in SoHo who just lost everything, so I gotta appreciate my shit, no matter how shitty it is.  Good night guys, and make sure to turn off your space heaters before you go to sleep....