They’re saying tomorrow. UPDATE: now they’re saying Friday. FRIDAY??!!
I went and charged my phone in my nearly buried car. My laptop is on its last legs. I texted Mitchell to see how they were doing in Puerto Vallarta and within 30 seconds I received a video of a drag show they were attending. Cartels may wild out, but nothing can stop drag. What I texted to Mitchell though was “cartel shmartel”. It’s been really weird to have no power, but then I remember having no power for two weeks after Hurricane Sandy and having to walk up to a random Red Cross truck and ask the guy if he could give me some tampons. He did. It’s hard to express the chaos we were tossed into. Gas rationing. Streets blocked off for two weeks. I was working at Martha Stewart at the time as a freelance producer and the entire first floor of her building was underwater so I was out of work for weeks, which was hair-raising because I was BARELY paycheck to paycheck at the time. I was barely making it. Shopping in the bodega, pitch black, all the customers were holding up their phones with flashlights. I was also going through a breakup, which I never mentioned here, and so going through the hurricane totally by myself was really bad, since literally 3 or so days before, he was all in. People come and go so quickly here, as Dorothy says in Wizard of Oz. Humorously, even though the “relationship” only lasted a couple months it was intense enough that he had already gotten a tattoo “for me” (he was covered in tats, so this was just one more), and now he’s stuck with it – a tattoo for a woman he BARELY dated, and I think of that sometimes and it cracks me up. It’s funny now but it was NOT then. In a way the Sandy chaos was a welcome distraction – as awful as that might sound. The emergency situation focused me. I had to go to Dunkin Donuts down the street to charge my phone because they happened to have the only working outlet/electricity in my entire town. Everyone showed up there and took turns charging. Nobody flipped out in Karen-like fashion. We waited our turn. It was somehow comforting because things were getting real bad for me in 2012 – the crackup to end all crackups was coming, which would culminate in me by myself in Memphis for 10 days – because my tattooed guy – a huge Elvis fan – and I were supposed to be making the trip together, New Year’s Eve in Memphis! and even though the “relationship” vanished into thin air, I went to Memphis anyway. Alone. As my family back home organized the intervention that would save my life. Hurricane Sandy lingered for months and Rockaway – to this day – will never be the same. Even just writing all that out puts some perspective on having a couple days without power. I cooked a bunch of food the day before, I have plenty of stuff. I am working on literally three pieces at the same time and I am doing it old-school: by hand. I never really gave up writing by hand so I’m kind of digging it. And I’ve read three more Shakespeare plays, so I’m making good progress on my project. February has been eventful. I was basically gone from home for the first three weeks, then I come home and am immediately buried in snow, snow so deep I haven’t left my neighborhood since I got back. A month of extremes. More snow tomorrow – this is insane – but they’re saying it’ll just be a “dusting”. I have learned about Frankie that if I talk to him in a normal tone of voice, he gets scared and skittish. But when I talk in a cooing little baby voice, he comes over and cuddles and purrs. So he really has been traumatized in his life and I need to be mindful of that because if I just say “Are you hungry?” – because yes I do talk to him – he sits there and stares at me, waiting. A little tense. But if I say, “Hey little boy do you need more fooood?” in a little baby voice he comes over and starts weaving his body through my legs. He’s so dear. I type this by candlelight. We’re doing fine.
Oh my, I hope this gets resolved soon and ends up just a memory of writing by hand by candlelight “get ready with me to romanticize my life as a writer” (i need to get off social media). Unfortunately, the way things are going we need to be prepared for more of that to happen and I know I am not prepared at all.
Oh Frankie, sweet little creature, you deserve all the baby talk.
Take good care, Sheila!
People who have never written anything by hand – I sympathize!! It’s a whole different thing! I like writing by hand because it slows my brain down and my first drafts are better. (imo)
and I know – Frankie!! He’s so sensitive! He really does need so much reassurance and he follows me around. Just the sweetest little guy!!
He also checks in with me whenever he does something and it’s so cute but it also makes me sad. Like, do your thing – eat! play! sit in the window! Please don’t go behind the television to fuck around but other than that … do what you want to do, you’re never “in trouble”, Frankie, you don’t have to stare right at me after you get into your little window hammock. I am totally anthropamorphosizing him but it feels like he’s looking at me like “is this okay?” He’s kind of dog-like! I love it when he forgets about me totally and plays with his cat tunnel, losing his SHIT.
Oh, Frankie. It reminds me of my favourite Mary Oliver poem. The first time I read it, in was in a park, on an early summer morning, my dog at my feet, and I started SOBBING. And my dog was a little concerned, and also like, oh, we’re doing this again – i guess.
Benjamin, Who Came From Who Knows Where
What shall I do?
When I pick up the broom
he leaves the room.
When I fuss with kindling he
runs for the yard.
Then he’s back,
and we hug for a long time.
In his low-to-the-ground chest
I can hear his heart slowing down.
Then I rub his shoulders and
kiss his feet
and fondle his long hound ears.
Benny, I say,
don’t worry. I also know the way
the old life haunts the new.
OH NO STOP IT
“don’t worry.” that’s it. I say it to frankie all day long!
WAHHHHH
I know, RIGHT IN THE FEELS
“don’t worry. I also know the way / the old life haunts the new.”
I think about these lines often
it’s so true.
Hope the power comes back real soon. Glad you’re doing okay. Frankie is so precious.
It was an adventure the first day and now it’s a bit MUCH.
and yes he is just such a sweet little guy. I was supposed to get a new couch delivered today – which I am assuming now that isn’t happening – so I moved everything out of the way – and Frankie is having a nervous breakdown! too much change he doesn’t understand!
Hope power comes sooner than Friday – you all really got whalloped down there!
Hey Dan! Yeah I’m a little surprised – we get snowfall of course but we are rarely slammed like this, outside of hurricanes. I heard a rumor that our energy company was bought – or is run – by a company in pennsylvania, so they put all their focus on PA and hung us out to dry. I cannot confirm this.
Hope you are all doing well up there! My cousins in Nashua have been sending to the family group chat wild photos of the drifts up there.
we’re fine. :-) Lots of snow but we were fortunate to keep power.
Take care, Sheila. SW NH also has A LOT of snow so I am staying home. You can’t get killed if you are not on the road. Frankie is one for the ages. So is my Wally. Aren’t cats just the best? I’ve had wonderful ones. Eight little boxes of ashes. Sigh.
Be well. And may you have light soon.
Yeah I’ve been seeing pics from your neck of the woods, it looks wild! Stay safe!
The roads are really not good – still – but I’m hoping tomorrow will be better. We had more snow today so … will have to stay put for the time being!
Power’s back on. Our roads are still barely plowed but we have lights. and HEAT.
Thank you for walking beside me through this difficult time.
What a relief!
Delighted to hear that!
Good for you! I hope the power stays on.
Looking good! Nice sunny weather today too so the roads are actually looking drive-able now.