After the Storm

This isn't a real blog post, it's just too long for a status update. 
First of all, THANK YOU to all of you who've reached out with calls, emails, chats, etc.  I have literally been contacted by people from all over the world checking on me.  Thanks, everyone.  I love y'all and really appreciate your checking on me.

So. I made it through the storm just fine.  I'm watching tv, cuddled up with grapes and cheese, looking at pictures of all kinds of devastation, and seeing the power cut off in lower Manhattan.  I live uptown, and the worst that happened was the lights flickered a few times.  I am so grateful!

By this morning, it looked better than it looked yesterday morning, so I prepared to go out for the morning java run (yes, of course I have food in the house.  I bought an espresso machine to save money on coffee....).  I'm talking to someone who says "Going out for breakfast?  Why aren't you cooking breakfast?"  To which I laughed, and was chatting with someone who wondered why I would go out unless it was Divinely directed, to which I LOLed.  The sister has a point, though. 

Toni, I did stop on the first floor to check on the drunk guy.  He was asleep, and I let his wife know how sweet I thought it was that he came by.  She looked embarrassed and explained that he's enchanted with the idea of a hurricane.  I let her know that it was still very sweet, thanked them for being so neighborly, and wished them well.

I didn't park on the street because I have the privilege of living on a tree-lined street.  I did see some branches where cars had been yesterday, and I saw even more trees with limbs ripped off, but mostly I just saw lots and lots of leaves on the ground.  It was clear Sanitation had been by, and still there were LOTS of leaves left -- more than I've ever seen in NYC.

Going around the corner, I'm wondering if the garage door opener will work, but of course they keep the door open in inclement weather.  It starts to rain or something, and I wonder why I'm outside without an umbrella. Of course, by then I'm at the car with the umbrella in the back seat.  So I go off to Dunkin.

The streets have people in them, but not nearly the number one would expect.  The city's not quite a ghost town, and as I get further on the east side, I see the fellas hanging out on the corner by the few stores that are open.  Bodegas are open, some liquor stores are open, most fast food stores are not; some grocery stores are and some are not.  I'm assuming alternate side parking is suspended, and park just behind a building awning that's been ripped off. 

Inside Dunkin, the line is longer than it is on most weekdays, and all the tables are full.  As we wait for our coffee, we chat and everybody is like, "Man, I just couldn't stay inside any more."  One woman had to leave because her roommate was watching Nickelodeon and she thought she'd go nuts; one guy wanted to go to work but there's no transpo; but of COURSE the coffee shop would be open, so that's where we all headed!

In very good times or very bad times, New Yorkers always pull together.  We may or may not be polite when we're rushing to get a train, but if one of our teams wins a national championship, or if there's anything that affects our collective wellbeing, we New Yorkers are incredibly good and kind to each other.  Remember that next time you hear somebody talk about rude New Yorkers.  We may be a little self-consumed sometimes, but when things get tough, New Yorkers will always pull together.  So we all wished each other well and went on our way.

I drove around for a bit, noticing that, aside from the occasional downed tree limbs or awnings, that the City doesn't seem to be too much worse after the hurricane.  Of course, Michael told me that the subways are submerged in salt water and the news says that most of the bridges are still closed.

I stopped in the little BP gas station/bodega, mostly because I can park there and the guys are nice.  They didn't have a lot of business, so I asked the guy how things are.  He said their credit card machines are down and their computer systems are down.  I said, "so why are you still here?  Do you make that much on cash sales?"  He said, "How I gonna go home?  No subway. No train.  We stuck here three days now.  No shower, No sleep, nothing."

I asked if I could help, but a) it's a bodega, and b) it's run by his family, so I knew he'd be ok.  But he's a nice enough young man, and I wanted him to know I cared.  So I told him to get some rest, and promised to come see him later.

While driving home, I got another text inquiring after my wellbeing and praying for me,  Since I wiped my phone, I don't know who it's from, but I'll call them back soon.  I came home and as I parked, the rain started again.  This time it feels like it might be the beginnings of sleet or hail if that's possible. 

I'm back in the house now.  The worst thing that happened was that the top on my coffee cup slipped off,  and now my car will probably smell of coffee.  That's not meant to sound cavalier or flippant; I am very grateful to have a roof over my head.  My clients and their buildings are all intact, and, as I said to someone this morning, we in NYC ain't running nothing.  The God who can calm the winds and the waters has shown us that He is still in charge, and that we go through our busy-ness, if not with his permission, only through his assent.  In the midst of all that's going on (or perhaps "After the Storm," since that is the name of this post), we are well-advised to recognize, respect, and submit to the Power of God.