By Paul Honda
hrcFantasyLeague@aol.com
Sunday, Oct. 15, 2006

I had maybe a couple hours of sleep when the first quake woke me up. My building was waving back and forth. Not a good feeling.

A few minutes later, I was on the toidy when there was another roll. Less powerful, but spooky nonetheless. I got out of my building, drove down King Street and realized that not only were traffic lights completely out, but all radio stations (that I could find) were also off the air. Freaking creepy! Did terrorists attack our power grids?

Naaah. Nobody in the vicinity that I talked to knew much. I kept driving through dead traffic lights. Most people were highly cooperative and came to complete stops at four-way intersections. I kept going all the way through Kaimuki, and on 12th Avenue, I found the only food joint open for miles: Scones Bakery.

They got their baking done before the earthquake and people kept filling the place up. I picked up a box of scones and assorted pastries. Woulda bought more, but that would've been kinda weird and greedy.

I headed to my sister's place, where she and her new boyfriend (don't know his name, but she's not very big on introductions) were in survival mode. Good thing. I'm really bad at the whole "Store batteries and flashlights for disaster" deal. So the outage continues, and if it goes beyond 8 hours, I'm gonna be picking a suitable meal out of your trash sometime in the next few days.

My nephew seems cool about the whole deal. I suppose it has educational elements, but he's busy on his little video game toy, as usual. My sister made tuna sandwiches and ox tail soup. Amazing. It's a first for her, and I'm happy to not be paying $10.50 for it at Kam Bowl/Kapiolani Coffee Shop. Her boyfriend even brought his grill over and is making lamb chops (yes, I know, poor things, baaaaa-aaaah). I'm not a big fan of the stuff, but I know of a handful of guys who believe it is food from heaven.

So it is that there is not a single casualty, as KSSK (Perry & Price) and 99.5 FM (Tiny Tadani) report, thoughout the state despite a 6.6 level quake and following aftershocks. For my friends in Kona and Kohala, my thoughts and prayers are with them. Structural damage to buildings all up and down the coast, including hotels and hospitals. The lack of electrical power to hospitals is a very spooky situation. What about patients who rely on respirators, etc.? What about the lady who was supposed to get an organ transplant today? I suppose hospitals have generators, though.

There are regulars here at this site like Greg Rush, Drew Gladstone and Tim Bates, who I've thought about. Old, old friends from my years in Kona, like Victor McDaniel, Randy Morris and Lew Fukui, that I picture taking care of their families through this crisis. Part of me actually wishes I was there in Kona. Voices on the radio bring up evacuations of Keauhou Resort and Kona Hospital, Mauna Lani Resort ... I see these places in the front of my brain so clearly.

Every situation, good and not-so-good, brings about necessity for leadership and reaction. People who need to step up are there, whether we know it or not. And when help is needed, it can be provided. I know it's true, but it doesn't change my feelings about today. I'm concerned.

Tomorrow's newspaper? At this point, I have no idea whether there will be one. I hope so; not having a football poll to work on today is throwing me for a loop. No TV, no football games to watch/listen to. Hearing Tiny Tadani read a list of NFL scores this morning was a trip.

With thick gray clouds and lingering vog still hovering over us on Oahu, it has been a day I'd just as soon get back to normal right now. That won't happen soon, though, and getting power back is a slow task, slow enough that I probably won't be able to turn this laptop on again more than one more time.

I have backup strategies if the poll is on for tomorrow's paper — if there is a printing. I'll enjoy it. Sort of. I can type it up, make the phone calls (I hope) while I'm sitting in line outside Sack 'N Save down the road. Patience, fellow human beings. We've got no choice but to have it.

Previous Article: Pupule Pigskin Picks
Next Article: Herring, tomato soup, Pete Smith

Comments