Thursday, September 02, 2004

posted by: copernicus on 9/02/2004 02:40:00 AM
HURRICANE FRANCES, Take 2:

I made a lengthy post and then lost it all. All of it. So I guess I'll just have to sum it up since I don't have the energy to write it all again.

-A category 4 hurricane will hit South Florida in 48 hours.
-A category 4 hurricane has the same wind speed as a medium sized tornado.
-Unlike a tornado, a hurricane has those wind speeds affecting hundreds of square miles, and bring torrential storms and flooding with them.
-Todd just got back to Miami from a 10 day trip here.
-Todd lives 3 block from the water in South Beach.
-South Beach is under MANDATORY EVACUATION.
-Todd has just 48 hours to get his cat and as much as he can carry that he wishes to keep and get the fuck back on a plane to Kansas City.

Makes me reminisce about the Hurricane Parties we used to throw in Miami. We'd find someone with a house at least 10 miles inland, put up the storm shutters, break out the beer and mix up the margaritas while we still had power and proceed to get hammered.

when the eye would pass over, we'd have about 30-45 minutes of calm winds and clear sky, so we'd unbarracade ourselves and go run around outside and be drunkards in the street. When the winds would pick back up and the rain would start to fall, we'd get back in doors and prepare for round 2.

I remember being a 6 year old in Coral Springs and helping my father put up the storm shutters. I remember sitting in the living room with mom and dad during the storm. It sounded like a train was going by outside the house, and it was spewing gravel against the roof and walls. All the while mom is reading to me by candlelight and trying to keep me from being scared.

I wonder if she ever knew how thrilling it was for me. I loved it, I still do have a great affinity for powerful displays of weather. I love torrential thunderstorms and the snow and ice storms that shut down a city for 48 hours.

I loved waking up the day after Hurricane David. My dad opened the metal shutter over the front door and looked outside. I was across the room, anxious and anticipating the scene outside. My Dad's face shifted from curiosity to amusement as he chuckled once and told me to join him quickly at the door. I ran to that safe place at his side, the one on his left hip with his hand on my shoulder as I peered out the door. The street was a river. Luckily our property was raised a few feet and the water only came half-way up our duplex's driveway. Unfortunaltely half-way was enough for the water to pick up the neighbor's VW Beetle and make off with it. At least it was trying to. It was just leaving the driveway when Dad chuckled and called for me.

I got there in time to see it float off down the street and out of sight around the corner of the house. Dad and I just stood there laughing.