The Alarm

Like many homes in South Africa, we have an alarm. We set the alarm when we leave the house and every night before we go to bed (as instructed by landlord and friends). The night time setting allows us to move freely in the bedroom and kitchen areas.

The multi-step setting of the alarm is nearly second nature by now. There is a control panel by the back door as well as in the master bedroom. I often wake in the middle of the night, reassured by the panel’s red lights across the room. I used to have nightmares about the alarm going off while we were home, but I don’t anymore. Maybe I’m somehow adjusting to this part of life here or maybe I’ve shoved it so far back in my consciousness that it barely registers anymore.

In any case, as the test of time would have it, the alarm went off the other morning at 4:45!

When I realized what was happening, I shook Seth. He jumped out of bed and scrambled for his glasses. I grabbed mine and we ran to the panel and stood there trying to focus on what zones that had been breached. After what seemed like too long, Seth turned off the alarm.

In the broken silence of the early morning, we looked at each other. What the hell do we do next?? We knew the alarm company would be calling any minute to see if everything was o.k. We had to answer the phone, but the phone was down the hall, in the kitchen. sh**! We turned on lights and no sooner had we entered the kitchen, the phone rang. We gave the alarm company our secret password and then they asked us if everything was alright.

”We’re not sure!”

Did we want the guard to come and check things out?

I hesitated for a mere second, “Yes! Please!” trying not to sound too desperate.

While we waited for the guard, we poked around the house…cautiously checking doors and windows. No unusual signs. The guard arrived; he walked the perimeter with a flashlight and calmly reported back that the coast was clear. False alarm.

“Guess so” we agreed.

He drove away. We walked back inside the house, not sure of what to think or feel. We checked on the girls – they were still sleeping - quite peacefully. It was 5:30 – only half an hour until we had to get up and start the day. Without discussion, we walked back into the bedroom, reset the alarm and crawled back in bed for another 30 minutes of sleep! The journey continues…