Tuesday, October 25, 2005

My father's breaking point

So let's be honest. My parents have see A LOT of hurricanes. In fact, they weathered the granddaddy of them all, Andrew. They managed to be one of the few ones in the neighborhood that had what constituted a functioning roof--one that could be lived under with the benefit of a couple of tarps.

Wilma came and went, mercifully leaving lots to clean up but not much major damage to their house. I guess the play producer, the dancer and the singer did a pretty good job when they put the new roof on the house after Andrew.

But Wilma left them powerless. Rumor has it that the power will take 4 weeks to come back on. After Andrew, it took 6 weeks to come back. In the blazing heat of August and September, they sweat it out. The neighbors all bought colossal generators, but my parents stood strong.

So I was surprised to find that my father had gone out this morning and bought a generator. When I asked him about it, he said that he was out last night, sitting on the back patio, smoking cigarettes and drinking his iced tea. He watched the lights go on, one by one, in the rear neighbor's house. The kitchen, the bathroom, the living room. As he sat in the dark, he had Monday Night Football envy.

Then the Christmas lights on the shed came on. That's when my father lost it.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good for him. Hope he didn't have to pay too much for the generator. I spoke to my aunt today--they too are without electricity. Yet, somehow?!?! she's at work because, somehow, Florida City has power?!?! WTH? :) I guess a/c at work is better than no a/c anywhere else all day. Talk to you later.

Anonymous said...

At least it wasn't a jackhammer....

Leesa said...

Ha! I think the Christmas lights would have done me in too!

missbhavens said...

Well, they always say you can't get between a man and his christmas lights.

They say that...right?

Jaime said...

Sometimes all it takes is a little string of Christmas lights to push someone over the edge.
Do you suppose his neighbor (Mr. Christmas Lights) is related to your neighbor (Mr. Jackhammer)?