On the other side of the glass emergency-exit door, students mill about on the quad, talking, laughing, enjoying another perfect day in northern California. I, however, take no notice, fixated as I am on the emergency exit's pushbar. A colleague comes over.
--What's wrong?
--I'm not sure what to do.
--What happened?
--A little while ago, someone went out through this door, and the alarm didn't go off.
--OK.
--So I just re-armed the alarm.
--Right.
--The problem is, I was sure that the alarm WAS armed before that guy went through it.
--OK.
--So, now, even though I KNOW I just armed the alarm, how do I know that it will go off if someone goes through it again?
--Can't you test it?
--How?
--You want me to go through?
--But if you do that, and the alarm goes off, I'll need to turn the alarm off and then reset it again.
--Right?
--And then I'll be right back in the same situation.
--Oh yeah. (Pause) Well, what do you want to do?
--I guess there's nothing I CAN do.
--Guess not. So, should we go?
--Yes, let's go.
We do not move.
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