Skip to main content

Do Teasers Stop to Ask Why?

I love a snow storm - especially in the extreme. To me, it's akin to the Super Bowl. Though it raged all day, and some got 2', all is finally quiet here and I can actually see the asphalt on the driveway after the rain. No need to shovel at all. 
But many of my friends and neighbors are without heat and power. I get teased mercilessly for it, but it is precisely for times like these that I am your one stop, go-to gal. For decades I've borne the tired jokes/elbows in the ribs because I have EVERYTHING -- and back ups of that. But do the teasers stop to ask why? 
It's so I have enough to share with or take care of those who may need it, which has happened many times. 
Each city I've lived in had some of their biggest disasters occur during my time there: I get teased about THAT, but it's serious stuff for those in harms way. Tornadoes in Chicago, Boston's Blizzard of '78, the Northridge Earthquake in LA (and the OJ murders... and the Rodney King beatings, causing the entire city to be sprinkled with riots and copycat fires, one of which came through my neighborhood right up to the apartment next door), downtown NY during 9/11 (and for months after, interacting w/ those coming off the pile) and the big black outs in NY too - though I was here for Hurricane Sandy - and hurricane Katrina, Rita and Ike while in Houston. What are the odds? I've seen enough parades of the National Guard to last a lifetime.
I've also happened to be the first on the scene to help the victim(s) of several accidents - car crashes but also a motorcycle that hit a wall right in front of me on Beacon and Arlington coming off Storrow Drive. I was only 19 then. There are more examples. 
It's no surprise then that I have all that stuff to help, including skills - disaster certification, basic first aid and CPR training among other things, that now allow me to be a legit first responder in a pinch. 
I endure the jibes, but when the sh*t hits the fan, to have the supplies or the skills which come in handy? Suddenly... no more teasing! 
Now if only the road between us weren't closed, there'd be a fairly well populated pajama party going on at my warm and lit up house tonight. Complete with my excess of Flashy Blinky rings, snacks, new toothbrushes for all, and plenty o' HOT COFFEE in the morning.
If you need something tonight or tomorrow, you know where to find me. 
Grateful for all I have and more, for all I have to give.
Goodnight Friends.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Excerpts from Notes from Paris: A Work in Progress, Part One

When I turned 30, I went to Paris for the first time, under circumstances far from what I'd envisioned when, sprawled across my bed as a teenager, I dreamt up a romantic vision of my adult life that included going there. But... I went, and it felt like home from the moment the plane wheels met the tarmac at Orly.  Soon after, I made a decision to put all my spare hours into  writing, to see what was there. Though I had written almost every day since I was 10, I wanted to try my hand at all it's forms in a disciplined way, and set the stage to discover once and for all if it was my calling.    I was living in Hollywood then and so ripe to leave, but I had a few commitments there, keeping me from a wish to move to New York. To cope, I began to go to Paris on a regular basis, even rented an apartment for the span that a long-stay visa would allow (6 months), to see where it took me. By the time I arrived, unexpected developments caused me to cut that plan short. But ...
4 comments
Read more

We Are One

From an old Houston Chronicle's Religion section (11/25/2006) I set aside. It's a shame that religious beliefs tend to divide people and nations. It's my personal opinion that when distilled, their teachings seem to actually share the basic tenants (and at their essence are actually very simple). The Chronicle gave a great example of this: JUDAISM: "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbor. This is the whole Torah; all the rest is commentary." Hillel, Talmud, Shabbath 31A CHRISTIANITY: "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets." Jesus, Matthew 7:12, NIV ISLAM: "Not one of you truly believes until you wish for others what you wish for yourself." The Prophet Muhammad, Hadith HINDUISM: "This is the sum of duty: Do not do to others what would cause you pain if done to you." Mahabharata, 5;1517 BUDDHISM: "Treat not others in ways you yours...
Post a Comment
Read more

This Poem, A Song

"Bones" by Libby Roderick I come from a long line of dead people I come from a tall pile of bones My people lie sleeping all under the world Their souls turn to roots, leaves and stones. My grandpa went by whiskey in an L.A. hotel His dad died of Ohio coal And before him, and before that, they slipped under the ground Fewer bones walk above than below. My great grandmother's eyes stare out from my face Her skinny bones dance around in my clothes You can almost hear the whisper of her sweet southern song In this voice I've been calling my own. A toast to the living, walk us walk down the aisle So these bones can be married to the flesh for awhile. A song, a song for the living, though the flesh worries when These bones will be leaving to join family again. I come from a long line of dead people I come from a tall pile of bones My people lie sleeping all under the world Their souls turn to roots, leaves and stones.
1 comment
Read more