“Can You Imagine”

My electricity went out today just before 4:30pm. The supplier sent a notice stating that it may be back on by 6:15pm after completion of a major repair. It is now 9:54pm in my neck of the woods. Still no electricity. Which got me to thinking….

Can you imagine a life without supplied electricity? Now we have many more conveniences than our ancestors but it would still be challenging. You realize just how important modern conveniences are. For example I keep flipping light switches before remembering the electricity is out. My neighbors gave us these cool little LED laterns that came in handy. Went to turn on the TV and again no action. No problem. Grabbed my laptop but then realized my WiFi was down. I’m not one to keep my phone on my person as I move throughout my home. Once I set it down somewhere it usually stays there until I receive a call or text. On occasion I may miss a call or respond a little later than expected. My family and friends “love me” for that.

So no TV, no lights and no computers meant the family had to rely on phones for our usual dose of mindless entertainment.  I pick up my phone and thankfully realize that it is 73 percent charged. On the other hand I found amusement in watching my family members scurrying and huddling to share my son’s portable charger.  They are all iPhone snobs while I am the lone member smart enough to have a real (read android) phone. Samsung Galaxy thank you very much…..

We (meaning “I”) usually cook dinner and eat at home Sunday through Thursday while ordering out on Friday and Saturday. Didn’t cook today with power being out. Could have cooked on the grill had we thawed and prepped but who knew….oh well. Take out Tuesday.

Once the family grabbed their phones after dinner today something unusual happened. Everyone left the dining room and went to the family room together as opposed to going their separate ways. Each person with phone in hand or nearby with me on the sofa half tired, half asleep fully feeling the effect of “itis”. I quietly enjoyed their company and conversation. It was pleasantly peaceful without multiple electronic devices and multiple human voices competing for attention and airwaves. The only interruption being a female voice, seemingly programmed for fifteen minute intervals, asking, “When is the electricity gonna come back on?”  Every fifteen minutes for six hours……

At around 10pm as we all disburse to our bedrooms I settle into the fact that the electricity may be out well into the night. I appreciated the relaxed atmosphere and pace of the evening. And then, around 10:45pm when I was just about to fall asleep the electricity came on. I was awakened by an unidentifiable woman clapping and exclaiming that WE had to get up and go turn off ALL of the lights that she left on earlier. Alerts and notifications ring out into my quiet evening. Guess I’ll turn on the TV…….