Holiday greetings

I just realized I haven't been downtown in December before (up the hill seems to not count). 

Sitting on the bed, working on the computer, I unexpectedly recall a post by a friend in South Africa about a big fire near his house yesterday. Fire. Something about fire kept pinging. 

Then there were sirens. Lots of them. They didn't stop. They got closer. Hmmm. Maybe I should see what's going on. Look out the front window. 

The neighbors across the street are outside the house with their kid and dog. Is there a fire there -- the house seems OK. 

Sirens getting closer. Ambulance and fire truck behind slowing to crawl outside Cope Park. Is it something in the park? Maybe a hypothermic homeless person? They're creeping past. Hmmm. Maybe it's the house up the hill on the side? This could be interesting. Should I start gathering up stuff? Go to the bedroom window. That house looks quiet. The trucks inch closer...

And I see holiday lights on the fire truck in the back. Hmmmm Then they start moving again, and more vehicles and ambulances and decorated trucks appear, honking, and sirening, and waving as they move past at the speed of the firefighters walking around them. Then disappear down12th St.

I imagine this is a cherished local tradition?

Now I know how dogs feel on the 4th of July.