Sunday, August 24, 2003
Week 32 - NYC Blackout
August 24, 2003 11:44 PM
> TALES FROM THE BLACKOUT
> I guess the last one happened in 1977, a little more than 25 years ago.
> So my timing was expert. Of all the days I decide to skip lunch and leave
> work early, I had to pick Thursday the 14th to do it. So at 4:11 p.m.
> instead of sitting behind my comfy desk at work, I'm on the sweltering
> subway en route to Queens.
> Now, to my credit, had I been one train later (or if the power had gone
> out fifteen seconds earlier) I would have been stuck underground.
> Luckily, we had just come out of the tunnel and were rounding the bend to
> the 45th Street Courthouse Road stop on the number 7 when the train
> jerked to a stop. 'No problem,' I said. 'We'll be out of here in ten
> minutes.'
> Wrong. Luckily, the train operator, Mr. Chan (I found out his name later)
> was there to guide us through the catastrophe. This guy had the makings
> of a David Spade calibre stand up comedian. He was tossing out gems like this,
> five minutes after the train has stopped. Five minutes.
>
> MR. CHAN: The train has stopped.
>
> Thanks, Mr. Chan.
>
> MR. CHAN: Make yourself comfortable. Talk to each other and enjoy, well
> don't enjoy. Try to enjoy. Don't be angry about anything. It is not
> good for your health.
>
> Ok, so the whole Niagra grid is out of power. I am alone. I counted 311
> contacts in my Palm Pilot. Who calls me? Who is concerned? Of all my
> friends and family, who will call me first? Anybody.
>
> Now, my father and brother call me BACK, six hours later, but by then I'm
> home safe and sound and don't need any moral support. Thanks a bundle,
> guys.
>
> Luckily, I had Mr. Chan, the voice of reason.
>
> MR. CHAN: Everything is under control - smooth!
>
> "The air conditioner is not work, the ventilation system is not work, only
> battery powered public address system."
>
> "Thank you for your patience. It is because of a blackout. Citywide."
>
> "It could be much worse. We could be stuck in tunnel."
>
> "Do not leave the train. It is very dangerous outside of the train.
> Tigers."
>
> "I AM NOT A NATIVE ENGLISH SPEAKER."
>
> "Ladies and Gentlemen, we are going to evacuate train. You are very
> kind, thoughtful people. Please exit slowly. No hurry. There is no
> danger outside the train."
>
> "Don't be hurry. Don't be hurry. Everything is under control. Relax.
> You good, nice, nice people. Don't be hurry."
>
> Now, outside the train the ice cream man is making a killing and some
> neighborhood entrepreneurs are breaking their backs hustling the $3
> bottled water, but for the most part the whole city was CCC. I
> joined up with a flood of refugees pouring off the Midtown bridge - I
> walked 50 blocks home (my bud Aaron walked 90) had some pizza and Budweiser
> by candlelight and got the next day off of work. All in all, a good time
> was had by all.
Mom, I understand why you didn't call. ¶ 11:44 PM
> TALES FROM THE BLACKOUT
> I guess the last one happened in 1977, a little more than 25 years ago.
> So my timing was expert. Of all the days I decide to skip lunch and leave
> work early, I had to pick Thursday the 14th to do it. So at 4:11 p.m.
> instead of sitting behind my comfy desk at work, I'm on the sweltering
> subway en route to Queens.
> Now, to my credit, had I been one train later (or if the power had gone
> out fifteen seconds earlier) I would have been stuck underground.
> Luckily, we had just come out of the tunnel and were rounding the bend to
> the 45th Street Courthouse Road stop on the number 7 when the train
> jerked to a stop. 'No problem,' I said. 'We'll be out of here in ten
> minutes.'
> Wrong. Luckily, the train operator, Mr. Chan (I found out his name later)
> was there to guide us through the catastrophe. This guy had the makings
> of a David Spade calibre stand up comedian. He was tossing out gems like this,
> five minutes after the train has stopped. Five minutes.
>
> MR. CHAN: The train has stopped.
>
> Thanks, Mr. Chan.
>
> MR. CHAN: Make yourself comfortable. Talk to each other and enjoy, well
> don't enjoy. Try to enjoy. Don't be angry about anything. It is not
> good for your health.
>
> Ok, so the whole Niagra grid is out of power. I am alone. I counted 311
> contacts in my Palm Pilot. Who calls me? Who is concerned? Of all my
> friends and family, who will call me first? Anybody.
>
> Now, my father and brother call me BACK, six hours later, but by then I'm
> home safe and sound and don't need any moral support. Thanks a bundle,
> guys.
>
> Luckily, I had Mr. Chan, the voice of reason.
>
> MR. CHAN: Everything is under control - smooth!
>
> "The air conditioner is not work, the ventilation system is not work, only
> battery powered public address system."
>
> "Thank you for your patience. It is because of a blackout. Citywide."
>
> "It could be much worse. We could be stuck in tunnel."
>
> "Do not leave the train. It is very dangerous outside of the train.
> Tigers."
>
> "I AM NOT A NATIVE ENGLISH SPEAKER."
>
> "Ladies and Gentlemen, we are going to evacuate train. You are very
> kind, thoughtful people. Please exit slowly. No hurry. There is no
> danger outside the train."
>
> "Don't be hurry. Don't be hurry. Everything is under control. Relax.
> You good, nice, nice people. Don't be hurry."
>
> Now, outside the train the ice cream man is making a killing and some
> neighborhood entrepreneurs are breaking their backs hustling the $3
> bottled water, but for the most part the whole city was CCC. I
> joined up with a flood of refugees pouring off the Midtown bridge - I
> walked 50 blocks home (my bud Aaron walked 90) had some pizza and Budweiser
> by candlelight and got the next day off of work. All in all, a good time
> was had by all.
Mom, I understand why you didn't call. ¶ 11:44 PM
