Hotels & Fires

by Tommy Haas (posted on his website)--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rome. What a night. At 5. 30 in the morning Red gave me a call. He said, that I should get my passport and my money and that there is a fire in the hotel. I could smell the fume, already. I got dressed. I left my room and I saw an old couple panicing in the hall way. They were looking for the emergency exit. We didn´t know where the fire was in the hotel. So, I ran downstairs from the 5th floor. The smoke was getting stronger and stronger. I had a hard time breathing. Later, we realized that the fire was on the 4th floor. The air was getting better when I reached the 3rd floor. And I was just happy to get outdoors and to see Red.