How I Survived The Blackout: A Journal
WEDNESDAY FEB. 25 2004, 10:53 PMI am making guacamole. Lauren is watching Will and Grace. Suddenly, and without anyone warning, the electricty snaps off. We are in utter darkness.10:54 PMI begin screaming like a girl. Lauren smacks me across the face. She misses and knocks over a lamp. "Get a hold of yourself!" she yells.10:55 PMWe begin lighting candles. "Don't light the violet candle near the apple candle," I instruct, "their aromas don't fuse well." It's too dark to see, but I think Lauren rolls her eyes.10:59 PMThe candles are lit. Lauren starts to pack for a wedding. I continue my guacamole by candlelight. Have you ever chopped an onion in darkness? I think you should be very impressed:11:08The guacamole is finished. The apartment smells like onions. I scoop some up on a chip. At least I think it's a chip. It's very dark. "Mmm," I say, chewing our phone bill. "Delicious!"11:11I am tired of the guacamole. Lauren is finished packing. "Ok," I say, "I guess I'll go to bed."11:28I am in bed. I attempt finishing "100 Years of Solitutde" (which, by the way, grows in length each time I put it down; I have been finishing this book for a month). I fall asleep.THURSDAY FEB. 26 2004, 9:03 AMLauren wakes me up. It is freezing. The power is still not back. "Rise and shine," she says. "Leave me alone," I say. It's too cold to get out of bed. "Very well," she says and leaves.Three hours later.It is 12:03 PM. Business Associations starts at 12, but I figure it is cancelled. I look out the window and see this:
Atlanta doesn't do snow well. School must be cancelled.12:04 PMLauren calls. School isn't cancelled. Since I missed B.A., did I want to go to lunch? "Ok," I say. "I'll meet you at Doc Chey's."12:32 PMI get into my car. This is what I see:
This may be a familiar image to Northerners, but I came of age in Florida. And windshield's don't freeze in Atlanta. Until now. I think fast and turn on my wipers. That does the trick.12:42 PMI arrive at Doc Chey's. We order our food. I take a picture of the kitchen.
Some woman says: "Did you just take a picture?" I shake my head "no."12:52 PMOur food arrives. I get Thai Fried rice. It is good but with the Thai Iced Tea the bill came to like $9.50. That's too expensive for lunch.
1:05 PMLunch is over. Lauren leaves for the airport. I leave for my second class, Juvenile Law.2:45 PMClass is over. I call my community office and the power is still out. They expect it back on at 5:30 PM.3:15 PMI go to the movies. I see Bertolucci's newest film, "The Dreamers."
5:40 PMThe movie is over. It was way disturbing. But I loved the way it was made. (Not for the faint of heart, though). There's an egg-making scene that'll turn you Vegan.6:00 PMI return home. The power is back!6:05 PMJosh and Katy call. We decide on dinner. [For further detail, see "Dinner: The Musical."]8:00 PMArrive at "The Flying Biscuit."
8:17 PMWe order.8:30 PMThe salad and biscuit arrive.
8:45 PMThe Brie in puff pastry with raspberry sauce and apples arrives.
9:00 PMMy meatloaf sandwich arrives.
And then...We return home; I write a musical and we record it.THE END
