Disaster preparedness day with drinks
So, I ‘m standing in the shower letting the hot water wash away the last fuzzy residue left by the Dark and Stormies from last night , being sincerely grateful that Christine and Eric let me spend Thursday evenings at their home every week, when my cell phone rings.
As I said I’m in the shower and its 7am, so there is a bit of a scramble to reach the phone. Swearing with annoyance that I’ve missed the call I check to see who would have called me so early. That is a fairly short and important list of who’s who in my life, those people who would disturb my slumber and morning ritual. It is my Mother. A person who is on the “A” list, though I must admit she has abused this privilege from time to time. In her mind though, it has always been for a” good reason. She is tough as nails and a woman of beauty, strength and capability and a total wack job, but she is all mine and I love her. All this being said I called her right back to see what has precipitated this unusual morning call.
Me: “Hi Mom, What’s up?”
CrazyLady: “Jess there’s been a huge earthquake in Japan! An 8.9! Hundreds of thousands of people have died, there is a Tsunami headed to our coast!
Me: What?!
CrazyLady: BART is closing at 7:30 and the wave is expected at 8am!
I check the time, it’s 7:06 am. I have one hour, my brother and his family should be safe, I know Mom has told them first. The Hogue sisters live on a hill. I have to call and wake Steve and Dee to warn them, gather Christine, Eric, Chris and Doyle get them to higher ground. I realize I will need fresh water. The clock is ticking.
Me : “I gota go.”
CrazyLady: Don’t go into San Francisco!
Me: “Igotago”!
CrazyLady: “Don’t Go”!
Me: “I’M IN SAN FRANCISCO”!
The clock is ticking. I hang up. Christine and Eric have stopped their homely puttering and are standing in the doorway of the kitchen looking at me. “My God” I think “Only last night we were joking that we had no real natural disaster plan but we all have a Zombie Apocalypse escape plan. Oh our foolish hubris”! The clock is ticking. I tell them what is happening in clipped tones even as I pull on my sneakers. I’m only wearing a thin night gown but there is no time to quibble over clothes. The clock is ticking. I have to contact Dana! She is in the tube! I am trying to keep myself calm while I call Dana. The clock is ticking. Eric and Christine have reacted with admirable calm and are on the internet gathering info. Dam it! Dana is not picking up! I leave a hurried message, when the conversation behind me gets my attention. There was a quake in Japan and a wave, so far 300 are counted dead. There is a Tsunami warning along the California coast. The waves are expected to reach up to 3feet. The clock stopped.
I call Dana and leave an apology message. Then I call my mother.
Me: Mom, the wave is only 3feet.
CrazyLady: Well I know that! You hung up on me before I could tell you. You sounded so panicked.
Me: You told me that there was a Tsunami coming! That hundreds of thousands of people had died!
CrazyLady: Well it was very serious for those poor people in Japan!
The rest of our call was long and colorful. The upshot is that I have made her promise to start all calls concerning disasters of any kind with,”This is life threatening “ or “This is non-life threatening” Then all the facts. I’m thinking it’s the best I can ask for. Next Thursday evening will be Disaster preparedness day with drinks.