How I Survived The Blackout: A Journal

WEDNESDAY FEB. 25 2004, 10:53 PM

I am making guacamole. Lauren is watching Will and Grace. Suddenly, and without anyone warning, the electricty snaps off. We are in utter darkness.

10:54 PM

I begin screaming like a girl. Lauren smacks me across the face. She misses and knocks over a lamp. “Get a hold of yourself!” she yells.

10:55 PM

We begin lighting candles. “Don’t light the violet candle near the apple candle,” I instruct, “their aromas don’t fuse well.” It’s too dark to see, but I think Lauren rolls her eyes.

10:59 PM

The candles are lit. Lauren starts to pack for a wedding. I continue my guacamole by candlelight. Have you ever chopped an onion in darkness? I think you should be very impressed:

11:08

The guacamole is finished. The apartment smells like onions. I scoop some up on a chip. At least I think it’s a chip. It’s very dark. “Mmm,” I say, chewing our phone bill. “Delicious!”

11:11

I am tired of the guacamole. Lauren is finished packing. “Ok,” I say, “I guess I’ll go to bed.”

11:28

I am in bed. I attempt finishing “100 Years of Solitutde” (which, by the way, grows in length each time I put it down; I have been finishing this book for a month). I fall asleep.

THURSDAY FEB. 26 2004, 9:03 AM

Lauren wakes me up. It is freezing. The power is still not back. “Rise and shine,” she says. “Leave me alone,” I say. It’s too cold to get out of bed. “Very well,” she says and leaves.

Three hours later.

It is 12:03 PM. Business Associations starts at 12, but I figure it is cancelled. I look out the window and see this:

Atlanta doesn’t do snow well. School must be cancelled.

12:04 PM

Lauren calls. School isn’t cancelled. Since I missed B.A., did I want to go to lunch? “Ok,” I say. “I’ll meet you at Doc Chey’s.”

12:32 PM

I get into my car. This is what I see:

This may be a familiar image to Northerners, but I came of age in Florida. And windshield’s don’t freeze in Atlanta. Until now. I think fast and turn on my wipers. That does the trick.

12:42 PM

I arrive at Doc Chey’s. We order our food. I take a picture of the kitchen.

Some woman says: “Did you just take a picture?” I shake my head “no.”

12:52 PM

Our food arrives. I get Thai Fried rice. It is good but with the Thai Iced Tea the bill came to like $9.50. That’s too expensive for lunch.

1:05 PM

Lunch is over. Lauren leaves for the airport. I leave for my second class, Juvenile Law.

2:45 PM

Class is over. I call my community office and the power is still out. They expect it back on at 5:30 PM.

3:15 PM

I go to the movies. I see Bertolucci’s newest film, “The Dreamers.”

5:40 PM

The movie is over. It was way disturbing. But I loved the way it was made. (Not for the faint of heart, though). There’s an egg-making scene that’ll turn you Vegan.

6:00 PM

I return home. The power is back!

6:05 PM

Josh and Katy call. We decide on dinner. [For further detail, see “Dinner: The Musical.”]

8:00 PM

Arrive at “The Flying Biscuit.”