Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Just Like in the Movies. Not.


Fire escapes are fascinating such as this one on the old Pendergrass Hotel at the corner of Fifth and San Benito Streets.

At the time of the Loma Prieta Quake (in 1989), the first husband and I were living on the second floor of a three-story brownstone apartment building across from Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. When the building stopped rumbling and shaking, we raced to the front door, but it was blocked by fallen bookshelves and a whole lot of books. Without any hesitation, we ran over to the window and climbed out onto the rooftop over the garages. We started to climb down the fire escape only to find that we would have to jump over 12 feet down to the sidewalk. We did not.

Until that moment, I always thought once you got to the bottom rung of a fire escape, it would automatically and smoothly deliver you to the sidewalk. Just like in the movies.  Ha!

Hopefully, the fire escape of the old Pendergrass Hotel was never used. And, if it was, what did the people do when they got to that last rung?

It's Wednesday, so I'm hanging out at Mrs. Nesbitt's ABC Wednesday checking other J posts. I invite you to join me by clicking here.

4 comments:

  1. Yes it always looks so easy in the movies. Weighing the picture up I guess for this one you would have to make a jump for the lamp post but perhaps that may be best left for the movies too.
    Joy - ABC Team

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. LOL! I wonder if we are supposed to jump from the last rung. shudder.

      Delete
  2. Yikes - I HAD thought about fire escapes and that last rung, the fall from which would probably twist my ankle or breal my leg!
    I remember the '89 quake because I too was watching baseball on TV.

    ROG, ABCW

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I still think that if the earthquake had not happened, the Giants would've won. Also, that 1989 was the absolute best for baseball. Giants vs. A's in the World Series. Whoo-eeee!

      Delete

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