About an hour ago in my writing spot the emergency lights started flashing. Once a minute a robotic voice announced that everyone should leave the building. Not a single person got up. Hardly anyone even looked up, though this went on for ten minutes. We were writing. We were drinking soy mochas. We were standing our ground.*

Now two guys at the table next to me are having a loud conference with a disembodied voice on speakerphone. They are discussing addiction clinics. If they don’t leave soon I will need drugs.**

*Please note the restraint I exhibited in avoiding an obvious pun.

**Thank God for headphones and Chuck Mangione.