In search of the chirp

Chirp.

(minutes pass)

Chirp.

(more minutes pass)

Chirp.

"What the hell?" I say in frustration, terribly annoyed by the persistent electronic sound that pierces the silence and disturbs our sleep.

It seems to happen only when the furnace is not running, and originates somewhere near the laundry room.

Each, in our turn, run down to try to figure out the source of the chirp.  I grab a folding chair, stand on top of it, and position my ear as close to the smoke detector that I'm convinced is the culprit.

Chirp.

"Damn," I say.  It's definitely not the detector.  The sound, elusive and short, seems to be coming from the left, near the furnace.  I give up, and go upstairs.

Chirp.

Snore.

Chirp.

Snore.

Chirp.

"Damn that chirp!"

Heather determines that it is one or both of our smoke detectors, one in the hallway on the main floor, and the other in the laundry room.  She goes out and buys new units.

"These ones have batteries," I say, pointing out the obvious - never a smart thing to do with the superior side of the spousal continuum.

"Poop," Heather says, realizing that we needed the hard-wired variety if we were going to swap them out.

Chirp.

"It's definitely not the detector upstairs," I said, racing down to once again search for the chirp.

Silence

(many minutes pass)

"Screw it," I say.

Chirp.

Snore.

Chirp.

Snore.

Chirp.

"Damn that chirp!"

"It's the furnace," determines Heather.  "Remember that repair guy who came and replaced that do-hickey last year?  It's the same sound."

"Ahhh," I said.  "That makes sense.  I'll call the repair guy and have him come over."

Chirp.

Grrrr.

Chirp.

Grrrr.

"It's definitely not the furnace," said the fellow from the repair place.  "It's sounds like it's coming from either down the hall, or in there," indicating the room outside Dylan's bedroom.

"It's like totally just outside my door," declares Dylan.  "Like right above my door."

I go down once again, position myself in the small hallway just outside Dylan's door, determined to stay there until I figure out where this pesky chirp is coming from once and for all.

It was at that point I glanced up, in the hallway, just outside and right above Dylan's door.  There, in all its cylindrical glory was another smoke detector, one I've never noticed before.  And right on cue, as if it knew exactly what to say....

Chirp.

"Found it!" I yell up the stairs.

"Where?  Where?" yells Heather, running down the stairs.

I look up.  She looks up.

Chirp.