WebJournal - The blog will set you free

WebJournal - The blog will set you free
News of no interest whatsoever except to very close and patient friends and family members and maybe people with no life

Sunday, August 17, 2003

Now I can say "I was there" for the "great blackout of 2003", as it is now called, and it has been a lot of fun.

Thursday, after the lights flicked and the computers went off, I finally got my chance to perform my duties as deputy fire warden at the office. Unfortunately there were less then glamourous and all I had to do was call the fire unit and find out what was going on, before relaying it to my colleagues. Not very exciting and I did not even get to mingle with a real firefighter. Rumors were running amock already. We already knew there was a power failure all over Manhattan, then we heard it was extending over to Canada. Eventually security told us we there was a major power outtage and that we could go home. Down the stairs we went, not a big deal in our case - our offices are on the 13th floor. There was a jittery feeling in the air because nobody was really sure what was going on. Being the adrenaline junkie that I am, it was kind of exciting to me and I was enjoying it. Once out on the street I was engulfed in a sea of people, walking in all directions, so different from 9/11 when everybody was walking North. People were standing in line at the local delis to get the essential which to normal folks means batteries, candles and water. We are not normal. M.A. went to get ice, I went to get wine. Now we could face whatever was in store. A few flights of stairs up and we were home. I had plenty at candles, plenty of food, some water, I even found a couple of batteries and a walkman radio. We were all set. The margaritas had to be on the rocks, not frozen, but other than that it was perfect. Monse came a while later, after a concert in Central Park that did not need to be cancelled thanks to the fact that the band had a power generator. We stayed up until 3 or so in the morning, looking onto dark streets and dark buildings, except for the candles burning in some apartments and on the surrounding terraces and counting our blessing that we did not get stuck in a elevator nor did we need any kind of machine to keep us alive. At 3 we finally settle for the night, hoping in our heart of hearts not to get the lights back too soon so we could keep enjoying the school's out feeling. So cool.

On Friday morning, we woke up early and the electricity was not back. Yupee! But then we noticed we did not have water either and that sucked. We did have some bottles of drinking water around and half a bag of ice, enough to take cat baths before going out and spending the most gorgeous day since the beginning of the summer in Central Park. We chose a cool spot in the Sheep Meadow, under tree shadows and near a sprinkler so M.A. could reclaim his inner child and splash around. Monse and I just layed there in the shadow where I still I managed to get a sunburn. Later on we were joined by Pilar and two friends of hers visiting from Madrid and then, for lunch, by Monica. We booked a table at the Boathouse but there was at least and hour and a half wait, so we ended at walking to this great Italian restaurant with the nicest waiter/owner, a nice-looking huge Italian guy who managed to keep the most friendly grin on his face and a cheerful attitude despite less than ideal conditions.
After lunch Pilar, Monse, Monica and Pilar's friends went sightseeing on the Upper West. M.A. and I walked to his video club to get some tapes and the back to our own respective places. By the time I got home the water was back, though I had to wait until Saturday morning to get hot water.

Saturday afternoon I spent it with Melissa and was almost doubled over with laughter when she told me of her best friend liking her former boyfriend. In her words: "She cannot live without a man" . Mind you, Melissa turned 13 last week and the man in question is all of 12 years old!
Later in the afternoon M.A. came over to cook while I kept busy cutting wires in my mouth after a small braces disaster that I will have to have corrected next week.
Monse, Nicolas and Daniel showed up for dinner a little later. The plan was to meet Johanny and Pascal downtown and do some bars and finally some dancing but it never happened. Nicolas and Daniel leaft early but Monse went home at 5 AM. M.A. left this morning, after crashing on the AeroBed. We better get out of this staying at home pattern or I'll start screaming!
It is sunny now and I am going to the roofdeck to perfect the tan before watching the videotapes.

4:00 PM

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