There was a storm here on Saturday, a big wind storm. Things fell down, other things fell over. It seemed on Saturday morning like the power might go out, so I went to the grocery store to buy some supplies and was just paying as the lights in the store started flickering. As I was driving home the wind was whipping up and leaves and small branches were falling onto the street. By the time I got home the power was out. It then stayed out from then (late Saturday morning) until 8pm on Sunday night.
That was a long time.
I live in a basement suite which really needs artificial light to be liveable. So it was gloomy, and according to the radio we were really supposed to stay indoors so as not to be clobbered by branches and trees. Plus all the traffic lights were out and eejits were ignoring the four-way stop procedure and just randomly driving through intersections, so all in all, they said, stay put.
If you live with people it can, I would think, be a fun little interlude during a power cut to do non-electronic things like play board games or just chat. I do not live with people, and, I have now realized, depend quite a bit on access to my online people (in the absence of actual people, who are generally preferable). So it was tough. I listened to the radio (God bless radio!), I tidied up a bit, filed some papers that had been sitting around in a growing 'inbox' stack for months, even did a bit of painting, but got antsy very fast. I ended up going to bed around 9.30, reading by flashlight for a while and then sleeping.
On Sunday morning I took my computer and phone to church in case there was power there but there wasn't. Because my church is old school with actual windows and actual natural light and an actual piano, we went ahead and had church as normal, but with the people at the front shouting a little bit. Then I came back home, still no power. I had managed to find a functioning Tim Hortons so bought their largest tea and a breakfast muffin (hot food!) I listened to vinyl cafe on the radio and even dusted off my sewing - it felt very frontiersy. But the dim light and lack of even virtual company was really dragging me down. Some friends invited me and some others over for dinner as their power had come back on, so I headed over there but I don't think I was good company. By then, I was feeling quite anxious and emotional, a very odd feeling of just being overwhelmed and fearful, which was at its lowest ebb when I returned home around 8pm and there was still no power.
I don't really know why I reacted so strongly to the power cut given that I'm ordinarily fine with my own company for quite long periods. Perhaps it's a sad thing that I'm apparently quite dependent on the internet. Or perhaps in the 21st century it's relatively normal. After a day of blackout you realize that you can't buy more fuel for your car (the stations are closed), and you can't get more money from the bank or buy any things, and general apocalyptic unease starts to set in. Plus it's darker than a very dark thing at night because of the lack of street lights, and eerily quiet, you know, apart from the shuffling of the zombies.
Fortunately, about 5 minutes after I got home the fridge suddenly started up and I ran around turning on ALL the lights and immediately made some toast and a cup of tea. Electricity had never seemed so miraculous.
And, you know, it made me think of all those terrified migrants who we must help. Truly. Because really, what is two days without electricity compared to their hell? My life was moderately inconvenienced for a couple of days and it was all a bit much. I have no idea. No fucking clue.
3 comments:
It always reads like an adventure when it's not you it's happening to.
The last time the power went off here at night I felt a panic about whether I had battery powered lighting to read by. Once I knew I did I was fine, but that was only a few hours, not hours and hours and hours.
Did you know before electricity and gas lighting when it was only stinky candles for poor people that it was customary to sleep in two/cycles? People would go to first sleep a few hours after the sun went down and sleep for four hours or so, then wake up and have what some called God's Hour, which was thus meditative dreamy time in between. Some people would leave their houses, spouses would indulge in what they were too tired to do when they finished their work for the day. Then another round of four hours or so. Such a completely different way of living 24 hours. I guess there weren't many night owls back then.
I share your panic. It makes me feel a bit sad and dependent
This is exactly why I found Station Eleven to be such a hard thing to read. It made me anxious. Especially the flashback parts to when everything was collapsing. I like to think of myself as a competent human. I think, "I can survive the wilderness!" No, no I cannot. I need electricity flowing through my walls and cables. I need hot water on demand. My power was out for 12 hours a month ago and it stressed me out. And I had enough phone battery to still text my friends. I can't imagine what's it is like to flee my home and be stranded where I don't know anyone.
Sue, I did not know that. I bet too that people knew the moon's cycle more than we do now. We are disconnected people.
Jessica, yes! Me too! I also thought I was reasonably competent. I was prepared, with my batteries and candles and water and whatnot, but I was not at all competent. Well, at least I know that now.
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