Six years ago. I know - I was startled too.
I was the last one to leave work that day. Finishing up a few things, waiting for Spike to pick me up. When the lights went out and the fire alarm started its annoyingly repetitious *DING!!* (just in case no one had noticed there was a problem) I shrugged my shoulders and locked the place up. We were in a building with lots of daylight, less-than-reliable power much of the time, and I wasn't the owner. Not my problem. A guilt-free way to suddenly declare this workday as over.
I met Spike down in the parking lot - "Perfect timing," I said. "Power's out here."
"It's out in a few places," he said.
"Maybe a car hit a transformer or something," I said - as if I know things. "Hey look, all these traffic lights are out too. Turn the radio on."
Static.
"Weird - try another station."
Static.
" ... "
We looked at each other.
Suddenly one station's back-up generator kicked in, and news that the power was out ... everywhere ... was broadcast.
My first thought was a terrorist attack. And I thought - "Wow, it never occurred to me that I wouldn't KNOW."
We got home pretty quickly, and sat in the driveway listening to stories of commuters walking ... of local heroes directing traffic ... of speculation regarding the cause, the impact, the response.
Radio as the only form of mass communication - I felt like I was in my grandparents' era. Automatically reaching for lightswitches, cordless phones, all the things you are supposed to check and turn "off" before going to bed ... no need ... just ... go to bed. Weird.
Silence usually reserved for the country. Darkness that allows you to see the stars. Conversations with neighbours when none of us have to go anywhere. A break from ... everything.
And once we were in bed, with windows wide open, hearing my neighbour from her bedroom across the street call quietly through the darkness to the elderly neighbour next door to me - "Good night Leo!"
And oddly enough ... all was well.
Six years ago.
They've now said it will never happen again.
I hope they're wrong.
