We had a taste of environmental dystopia yesterday. A small, short micro-burst blew threw town destroying trees, knocking out power. Expect more of this kind of violent weather. It is the new normal. Over here at the compound, the mansion on the lake, everything failed. That's how it goes sometimes. You ask yourself: "What can wrong?!" The answer: "Everything!"
The power out, the backup generator refused to fire up. The sump-pumps dead. Water flooding the basement. I spent lots of time in the dark playing an acoustic guitar. Yes, I played music while the storm raged and the water rose. Then, lighting candles, walking around with a little, surprisingly, powerful flashlight. I have got to buy one of my own trusty little flashlights. One tiny needlepoint flashlight can light up a whole room. It's gratifying to find something that actually worked. Who knew?!
My smartphone ran down quickly. No internet. Cut-off. Suddenly alone, stranded, transported back to the 1980's, before personal computers, smartphones, crazy-ass social media. It's wild how we all take so much for granted. I sort of felt like I was the designated caretaker on the Titanic. I was on-duty. Guarding the citadel. The ship was surely going down. All I could do was watch it slowly sink. WTF?!
Late last night, a repairman, lurking in the dark, jump-started the generator, it was small, easily fixed fuckup, and then, magically, all the power in the place came back on. Funny. It's like it never happened. At least, if you don't go down in the basement, or go out in the streets. Trees & branches strewn around some crazy-ass party that got totally out of control.
The last message from my partner late last night: "Don't do anything Stupid." Ha. Tell that to everyone on this fucking teetering, careening, quickly, definitively, frying, planet...
