On surving Hurricane Dean

It It actually feels wrong to complain about the ‘agony’ of waiting 4 days to get back electricity just so that I can watch tv and surf the net.  Afterall, there are people who survived the hurricane and are still trying to figure out where they are going to live.  I’ll just be thankful that neither myself or any loved one has suffered more than some leakage.

I’m now almost reluctant to leave this apartment and move into my new place when it is finally completed.   I have a special connection with this apartment now.  This is the second hurricane that we have undergone together without a scratch.  I am luckier than most.   After both hurricanes, Ivan in 2004 and then Dean last week, the only thing that was necessary for me to do was just to open my door and let in some fresh air.  No leaks, no water blowing in.   Nothing.  Oh yes, I had to throw away all the spoilt food.

These people in the pictures above weren’t so lucky.  The day after the hurricane, along with the rest of Kingston, I went over to Caribbean Terrace, a little seaside residential community nearby Harbour View to look on the wreckage that Hurricane Dean left in its wake.   It was even worse than what Hurricane Ivan did in 2004.   There was actually a couple in the red vehicle when it was thrown against the fence by the waves/wind.  I understand that they were trying to drive away from the house after the water started coming in. 

Actually I didn’t find the hurricane as bad as in 2004 with Ivan and that’s mainly because it hit during the day.  Hearing the wind howl and whistle in the pitch black night is 10 times more frightening.   I got a little frightened when I couldn’t reach my grandmother by phone after a point.  It turned out that a tamarind tree had fallen on the phone line temporarily affecting her service. 

I’m still trying to figure out how this palm tree ended up in this woman’s living room.   Notice all the sand inside?

One thing can be said about a hurricane (I still can’t remember if it should be ‘a’ or ‘an’ hurricane - what did they teach me in English class?) is that it certainly calls for creativity in finding ways to entertain oneself in the absence of internet and cable television.   No wonder there’s usually a proliferation (so I heard) of babies 9 months after an hurricane. 

So after spending one night taking pictures of my bare nipple in the darkness and the pattern that the flashlight made on the ceiling I decided to step up the entertainment the next night.  So armed with radio and flashlights, two girlfriends and I sat on the steps of my next door neighbor/close friend ’s apartment, drank Bailey Irish Creme and sang off-key to the wonderful love songs of the 80’s until past midnight, when half drunk we stumbled over to our respective homes, happy we didn’t have to spend another night shining our flashlights into the ceiling.

I didn’t even remember that listening to the radio was so nice.  We were reminded by Luthor Vandross, Jeffery Osborne and Michael McDonald that the love songs of the 80’s still reign supreme.  

We were also delighted to see that the moon was out.   And we looked in wonderment at the stars in the sky.  These are things that we normally don’t take note of.

We enjoyed ourselves thoroughly.  I’m sure the neighbors didn’t.

Footnote:

Thank you guys for all your prayers and good wishes.  Man that was one powerful prayer by Michele :)    Hey Kat, I’m still alive :) I hope the Jamaica bloggers didn’t suffer too much.   I tried to get in a post before now.  I went in to work one morning very early with the intention of posting but it turned out that the generator chipped out that morning so I had to wait until electricity returned at home.