2004-08-13

Waiting for Charley

Since Tuesday, we had been hearing rumors circulate about the school that we were to expect a hurricane today, which is precisely the reason why school is cancelled. Obviously, I paid no mind to this, because every year, it�s the same exact warning. Every year, we are to be hit by some devastating hurricane and the entire city is put on high alert...but it only turns out that we receive isolated thunderstorms. Yesterday, during fourth hour, it was announced that school would be closed due to a category �3� hurricane that would hit with 125 mph winds. Now, Sarasota has been categorized into areas A, B, C, and so on. Area A should be on high alert because it�s closest to the water...and guess who�s in area A? (hint)

I am quite concerned about this, despite that we live in the back of area A. The areas that are �under the gun� so to speak, are the keys: Longboat Key, Siesta Key, Bird Key, etc. My neighborhood is about ten minutes away from the bridge that separates mainland Sarasota from the keys. The inner-city people don�t have anything to worry about, but we do. My phone has been ringing all morning, and my neighbors have been stopping by and there�s so much apprehension. They are closing down the bridge, thus, the residents from the keys should be mandatorily evacuated. We don�t need to evacuate, but it will be quite dangerous nonetheless. Hurricane Charley is supposed to be here at around five this afternoon, and now I�m starting to get quite nervous. Simply, because this very much resembles the situation with Hurricane Andrew a few years back, when it hit Miami.

My parents (my neighbors are doing the same) have removed everything from our yard that may turn into a projectile. Our bar area has been completely cleaned, our Jacuzzi has been covered, the chairs--everything. Our plants have been brought inside, and--this was the most difficult--our most valuable fish are being kept in a safe place--inside the house. Seeing as how my father is a civil enginner, I trust that he�s done a good enough job with the house--that�s thirteen years of school, dad! Show us what you can really do!

Grandma is coming over with her cat, and she�s staying with us until it all dies down (although, being stuck in a storm with my grandma isn�t one of my most favorite activities).

The electricity will most likely go out, and so we all have to use our cell phones (speaking of which, I should charge my battery), the water might become contaminated, so we�ll have to use a supply of drinking water and boil the rest (boil? When�s the last time I stepped into a kitchen?).

From Elaine�s (my younger sister) elementary school, one can walk for two minutes straight ahead, and the water is right in front! Certainly, it�s nice because people invest plenty of money in properties by the beach, and this is a very nice, secluded neighborhood (like a beach community, almost) where all of the upper middle-class children go to the same private school, but times like these...we�re no different from anyone else! This damned storm does not discriminate!

I am nervous...because I am materialistic. And so, I don�t want our palm trees rooted, and I don�t want expensive Spanish shingle from roofs lodged in the glass of my bedroom window. I don�t want any trees to fall on top of our cars and total them, and I certainly don�t want my neighbor, Charlie (what a coincidence. I think he�s interesting, because he was a professor at the University of Chicago for some years) to have to take his adorable Chinese Pug to the vet shelter. And what about the yachts?!? Actually, the boats in the marina only scare me because if winds are strong enough, they too can become projectiles.

Wow....my very first serious hurricane. Hey, if there�s enough damage, I promise to take pictures on the digital camera and upload them!

aeka at 10:26 a.m.