11:45 pm and way past my bedtime.

In truth, I had been asleep, but now I stand in my hair-standing-on-end, be speckled state on a Boston sidewalk.

You might recall from an earlier blog that my eye glasses NEVER go out in public. But here they, and me, are…along with all the other guests of “The Eliot” hotel. And two fire trucks and several firefighters, some stressed-out looking hotel staff, a woman with an oxygen mask over her face, several of us in jammies, and a May/December couple who were the last people out. They didn’t make eye contact with anyone…and were very overdressed for the occasion…and moved very quickly away from the rest of us who huddled together.

I had pulled on some jeans and a sweatshirt (yes, it might even have been one with WRITING on it).

Those of you who know me know I do not sleep. Ever. I am the queen of dead-of-night prowling, going to the gym at 5am when I can’t sleep anymore, and listening to endless podcasts in the dark. I’ve even been known to bake in the middle of the night. When I don’t do that, or IF I don’t, then I tend to solve all the crazy problems of my life and that is never pretty.

So it is worth noting, that on this particular night in Boston…standing on Commonwealth Avenue…during this mild state of emergency, I am practically dead asleep. My whole family was up before me, they heard the robotic evacuation announcement through the hallways and were almost dressed and out the door before I had my feet on the floor.

So I’m not exactly sure what’s happening.

And this strange-looking couple has caught my eye and my imagination is busy making up a story about them. Like “hello!” if they were real hotel guests with luggage and who stay more than one night (or part of the night?), they would have normal clothes to put on. Like me. Or that nice elderly couple who are sporting the hotel’s dressing gowns over their jammies. Not an evening gown and a formal suit and tie.

They didn’t have any other clothes to put on. Hmmm. This is not a cheap hotel. Wow. Dating’s expensive in Boston.

…p.s. we were all fine…some sort of Co2 sensor had malfunctioned.