When the Lights Go Out

The other night, as 9:00 rolled around, Christy and I were sitting on the couch watching the tail end of a Friends rerun. I was feeling pretty good because I had just stuffed my face with five of the most delicious chicken kabobs ever grilled on planet Earth (this is not an overstatement, you simply must come to our home and try these). All of a sudden the T.V. blanked out (gasp!) and the lights dimmed to a dark glow. It appears that some juice was coming through, but not enough to run any electronics or appliances. I checked the breaker, and nothing had tripped. The house was getting pretty dark and Christy and I found ourselves sitting there with nothing to do.

We finally decided to go on a little stroll around the townhomes in our neighborhood. When we walked out the door LO AND BEHOLD the sidewalks were bustling with people. Many were wandering out of their homes like pillbugs from a fumigation tent (only not dying, living!). We made our way to a small circle of people and in the course of five minutes met three neighbors that we had never really spoken to before. People were telling jokes, everyone was laughing, and offering helping hands. Our sleepy little street had come alive.

I couldn't help but think: Does it really have to come to this? Are we all just going to sequester ourselves away like pious nuns? Are we going to snooze through a communal life like a doped up grizzly in hibernation? This is ridiculous! I should know who my next door neighbor is for heaven sakes! Our community really looked different, a little stunned maybe, like the prisoner whose cell door swings open unexpectedly, and is so suprised he can't quite register what to do. Although we worried a bit that the food in the refridgerator would go bad, it was fun, and we passed some pleasant time with the neighbors. We lived, as amazing as it sounds, without electricity for nearly two hours.

When it came back on I couldn't wait to see what Conan was up to.