What Are We Going to Do Now?

   I allowed myself a good, long self-indulgent cry while I waited for the lights to go out. I was consciously aware that "light" and "communication" were not our immediate problems. We had several flashlights, fresh batteries and hurricane lanterns. We had plugged in all of our many devices...4 cell phones, 2 laptops, iPad and iPod touch, so we were ready to  deal with a power outage. The dark didn't scare me. It was the possibility of fire. The VERY REAL possibility that a sparking utility pole would set my house on fire. With my children inside. But, what could I do?
    Needless to say, we did not have a boat. We did not have life rafts and the cars were...submarines, but not in a good, useful way. We were seriously trapped between a fire and an ocean. Personally, I would rather take my chances against a hurricane than a fire.
    I do not hesitate to say the next thing that happened was a miracle. The wind was blowing so fiercely that it detached the sparking wire from the pole. It fell straight down into 4 feet of water. And...fizzled out. Yep, simply died where it lay. (We would come to learn the next morning that the wire was actually not electricity but a cable television connection. The wire had no juice the second it left the pole, but that didn't make it any less terrifying as it was happening. Who knew?)
     We were much safer. If the sparks had continued to fly, they would have no doubt caused a reaction with the other wires on the pole and the transformer would have exploded. This is not exaggeration. The same exact thing happened 4 BLOCKS away. A massive fire ensued. Luckily, property was lost but lives were not, thanks to the quick reaction of NYC's Bravest.
     The lights never went out. They flickered several times, but we never lost power! How is that possible? Wish I knew.
      By 1:00 am, there was nothing more to do. The water was not rising, but it was not receding either. The newscast said that more was to come. No sleep for us.
       I spent my time both crying and obsessively checking Facebook and Twitter for updates from my friends and family. I have a small family, but they mean the world to me. I knew the following information...my sister and her husband and young children lived in a flood zone. (Notice my use of past tense). They had evacuated to a friend's home. My parents also evacuated, to my brother's home. I knew where they were, and that they were safe.
      I also have very close girlfriends with children. One friend evacuated to another friend's home. They were together and safe. They had family who stayed behind to ride out the storm, and I was as worried about them as I was for my own family. Stress was high and so was adrenaline.
      As the dawn broke, the water had still not receded. The wind was dying down and the rain never really picked up. I texted a friend who lives just 12 blocks from me. I started to tell her about the flooding. She was amazed. They had gotten no water, no damage. Good for them.
      I spent the morning staring out the window at the ocean that had once been my street. I cried, I paced, I  stalked Facebook. I was freezing cold, but the boiler was in the basement, so no heat, no hot water.
       The sun tried to peak out, and it was time to survey the damage. The basement was still under 4 feet of water. Total loss. Nothing was salvageable. Our cars were still sitting in 3 feet of water. Total loss. With 2 full tanks of gas. What a waste.
      My landlady called a plumber to start the long and tedious process of pumping out the house. He brought 2 small pumps, but that wasn't nearly effective enough. She eventually found another plumber with an industrial pump. The water started to leave. Good riddance!
      My husband and some neighbors wanted to get the water off the block as soon as possible. They began shoveling around the storm drain, which was still under 3 feet of water. The were able to remove enough debris that the water began to recede. Thank goodness! The water was running out of the house and down the drain. Whew!
      Many neighbors from other blocks that had not been effected were driving around to see who they could help. Our friend Joey drove up our block. He wanted to help, anyway he could. I timidly asked him if he could get us milk for the kids. He left and returned a half hour later with a gallon of milk and 2 large hot coffees. Now, that's friendship! That coffee tasted so good!
      Another friend came and picked me and my older son up, took us to her house and allowed us to shower and sit in the warmth. I will be forever grateful. My husband, mother-in-law and younger son declined the invitation. My husband took ice cold showers and I bathed the little guy using a mixture of some water I had boiled and cold tap water. It was fine. He thought of it as an adventure!

 

My car on Tuesday, after the drain was cleared.

 

 

      We wore bath robes and socks, and waited for something, anything, to happen. I couldn't sleep again. I walked around in a fog. I cried all the time. My car was still in a considerable amount of water. We can't afford a new car, much less 2 new cars. I was feeling sorry for myself. At this point, I had no idea the extent of the damage in and around my native city. Facebook was not telling the story, mostly because the people living the story were without power and communication. By Wednesday morning, the true story started to unfold.

Next: What has become of our neighborhood?