Blown Away
2011-08-26 - by
What’s worse: going through a hurricane, or going through days, even weeks, of agony, anxiety and anticipation listening to hyperventilating, iron-pumping weather announcers and reading shrieking headlines (as in “Shrieking Irene aims its fury at NC coast”)? As the storm’s barometric pressure goes down, our blood pressure goes up.
Actually, what’s worse is dealing with the aftermath of losses and damages.
The cameras are drawn to the beaches. Heck, that’s where I’d go if I were a reporter. But the beaches will survive. People who have places there (like me) will rebuild, repair and replace. The out-of-work carpenters, painters, clean-up crews and repairmen will get a stimulus, as they say in Washington. Barring Andrew-like devastation, the rentals and the restaurants will be jammed next summer – or next weekend.
The highest level of suffering will be among the people who live in the low places – and often at the low end of the economic scale. The Princevilles, Lucamas and Kinstons.
Some of those communities haven’t recovered from Floyd 12 years ago.
But they’ll get the least attention. The local cameras will focus on the beaches for the next day or so. The national cameras will rush to Washington and New York. We won’t know how bad it was inland for a couple of days.
In the meantime, if the waiting and worrying get to you, turn off the TV, enjoy your favorite beverage and fortify yourself with a good meal, in case the power and the fridge go out. You’ll know how it turns out soon enough.
Most of all, stay safe. Be thankful to the police and firemen and power crews and emergency personnel who will be working for us through the storm and after. And look out for the least among us.
Posted in General
Blown Away
2011-08-26/
What’s worse: going through a hurricane, or going through days, even weeks, of agony, anxiety and anticipation listening to hyperventilating, iron-pumping weather announcers and reading shrieking headlines (as in “Shrieking Irene aims its fury at NC coast”)? As the storm’s barometric pressure goes down, our blood pressure goes up.
Actually, what’s worse is dealing with the aftermath of losses and damages.
The cameras are drawn to the beaches. Heck, that’s where I’d go if I were a reporter. But the beaches will survive. People who have places there (like me) will rebuild, repair and replace. The out-of-work carpenters, painters, clean-up crews and repairmen will get a stimulus, as they say in Washington. Barring Andrew-like devastation, the rentals and the restaurants will be jammed next summer – or next weekend.
The highest level of suffering will be among the people who live in the low places – and often at the low end of the economic scale. The Princevilles, Lucamas and Kinstons.
Some of those communities haven’t recovered from Floyd 12 years ago.
But they’ll get the least attention. The local cameras will focus on the beaches for the next day or so. The national cameras will rush to Washington and New York. We won’t know how bad it was inland for a couple of days.
In the meantime, if the waiting and worrying get to you, turn off the TV, enjoy your favorite beverage and fortify yourself with a good meal, in case the power and the fridge go out. You’ll know how it turns out soon enough.
Most of all, stay safe. Be thankful to the police and firemen and power crews and emergency personnel who will be working for us through the storm and after. And look out for the least among us.
Posted in General