Literally.
Remember my hypothesis that we would leave Scout waving pathetically on the sidewalk as we drove away blinded by our tears? Well there were definitely a few tears but we kept things in check. Then Scout had to sign us out of this magnificent dorm of hers. I thought it would be easier to take the stairs than the elevator – I had scoped that out the day before – of course thinking the staircase might save her some time when she is running late for a class (should that happen) (so hard to imagine). So we head down the stairs and while I am no longer crying, I am a bit out of sorts. So I guess I miss the sign that says
IF THIS DOOR IS LOCKED, RETURN TO THE THIRD FLOOR AND TAKE THE ELEVATOR. EMERGENCY EXIT ONLY!!!!!!!
It’s not a small sign. Why I ignore it is beyond me but I do. I push the door open and the sound is deafening. Alarms and lights everywhere. To my enormous relief, Scout is laughing hysterically. Ben, Kit and I join in. Some official looking person comes up to us and says
THE SIGN IS AS BIG AS YOU ARE – DID YOU NOT SEE IT?
I am unable to speak. A crowd is now gathering. Everyone is talking about this deafening alarm. They have to be thinking weapons of mass destruction. I on the other hand am thinking that I have been reincarnated as Lucy Ricardo and I am dropping Little Ricky at college.
But then Scout saves the day. She suggests we walk casually away from the scene of the crime and she then looks back and begins to talk to a few other fellow students
“Do you have any idea what that alarm is for? Should I be worried? “
We follow her lead and stare and point like everyone else. The alarm continues as we exit the building. And yes, I am quite clear. Scout was indeed the grownup.
Another set of hugs outside Scout’s dorm and off we walk down the street. Two minutes later I realize we have forgotten our bags. We try to enter the building (alarms and all) but realize that Scout has to sign us back in. We call upstairs and she has to return back down. Alarms still sounding. She hands us our bags. There is more laughter than tears.
For any of you at Emerson who are anxious to know what the security breach at Piano Row was all about on Tuesday at about 1pm, that would be me. I am your security breacher (is that a word). But I assure you that I do not represent any clear or present danger to Scout or any other Emerson student. I am no longer in the state of Massachusetts. I am just in a state of general sadness that my oldest daughter is now in college….
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