Three Alarm Bagel

If you have ever wondered what happens when a bagel gets stuck in the toaster at the Marshall Fairfield Marriott, just read on.

The fire alarms began to wail while we were seated at breakfast, and after watching the Marriott people run around for a bit trying to figure out how to turn it off we sauntered outside to wait it out. Rumor quickly spread that it was nothing more than the aforementioned rogue bagel - not one of ours, thank you very much - and that the "crisis" would soon be over.

Heh.

After a while - a rather long while - the alarm stopped and we headed back inside. Then the alarm sounded again, and we went back out. And it stopped and we went back in. And it started. And stopped. And started. And stopped. And started. We finally gave up, grabbed our breakfast, and headed back outside - where we had front-row seats for the tardy but splendiforous arrival of the first of seven (count 'em, seven) emergency vehicles from the good folks at Marshall Fire & Rescue.

The...er, festivities continued for quite a while. It was truly a sight to behold, with a great deal of scurrying about and carrying in and out of various esoteric pieces of rescue equipment that finally ended when they set up three huge gas-powered fans in the lobby doors that blew all of the throw rugs against the wall and all of the loose paper out the back door.

I'm guessing that the Marriott folks will get some remedial fire drill training later on this week.