alarming alarm

Went into work on Saturday to do the last bits of preparation for the grand opening of our new unit, which was due to open the following Monday.

I will admit - I was hangover as hell. I did a few bits of paperwork, drank loads of diet Coke and listened to Cat Stevens as I mopped the floors and pottered about. It took me a good 5 hours until the place was spotless and in shape of opening its doors two days later.

I was knackered but satisfied. Took my bag and turned the lights off in my office. As I'd done so and put my foot out in the hallway the alarm went off. And boy was it loud!

I fumbled my way into a room full of digital gadgets and located the screaming alarm's base. Read the instructions without understanding bugger all, and eventually found a phone number to the Security-firm.

The girl on the other end of the phone couldn't find my unit on her computer. She asked me if I was allowed to be in the unit at all. Eventually she promised to look it all up and give me a call back. And so I sat down in the ear numbing noise and wondered how long I'd be waiting.

After what felt like an eternity (but in reality only was about 45 minuter) two Securitas men turned up, turned the alarm off and asked me for ID. Then they asked me if I didn't have the code for the alarm. I told them no. They asked me if I had an electric key for the door. I said yes. And did I have a code for it? Yes indeed.

The men looked at eachother and smiled as they told me all I'd had to do was to use the key and code to shut the damn alarm off.

... Oh well. I guess I know til next time...