Tuesday, October 30, 2007
5.6
That's what they say the magnitude was.
Around 8pm this evening, we were walking the aisles in Safeway, looking for cool candy (ended up with lots, including 2 bags of body parts candy - I think we're gonna be very popular with the little costumed candy bandits tomorrow night).
There we were, hunting for fun sugary stuff, when The JohnnyB stopped in his tracks and started to look over and yonder, at directions that had clearly nothing to do with candy. I followed his eyes, looked up and saw the signs above the cashiers, swaying in the wind.
Only, there was no wind.
"It's shakin'", said the woman next to us, looking significantly concerned.
I, in my blessed oblivion, just gazed at her, totally clueless as for what it's all about. And yet, her wide open eyes made me very alert. I felt a cold hand gripping my heart, as everyone now stopped and just stood there, waiting. For what?
And then it hit me. Earthquake!
I wanted to rush and find a solid and safe place to stand under, I wanted to run outside, anywhere but next to heaps of candy and shelves and high ceilings and animated "Express Line - 15 items" signs...
...but everyone just kept standing still, as if it was a moment of silence. As if time froze. Why aren't they moving? Why isn't anyone going anywhere?? It was all so surreal!
And then it was over.
Everyone proceeded with their shopping, the signs started to slowly come to a halt, and I - I was a vision in different shades of white.
With shaken legs and melting knees, I followed The JohnnyB along the aisles, walking very close to him, chanting, "Why did we not go out? What were we supposed to do? When is the right time to run? Where should we have gone? Whom should I have followed? wh - - - ".
"Relax", said the man, "It was nothing".
5.6!! nothing? NOTHING??
On the way home, he gave me a thorough review on earthquakes, what to do if and when. "If you can get outside quickly, do it", he enlightened the uninitiated. "Otherwise, find a strong beam or a doorway to stand under".
"So, why not always just run outside, if that's the best thing?", I inquired, using my common sense.
"Because you may not have time. When it hits, it's going very quickly", he patiently explained.
"So why didn't we go out immediately when it started?", I wondered.
"'cause we waited to see if it's a big one", came the self-assured reply.
"But you said that when it hits, it's quick!!?!??!", I insisted.
"Well...", said The JohnnyB, looking at me with the patronizing disdain of he who experienced the Loma Prieta '89 earthquake, "you just know".
I remained quiet, taking the time to fully appreciate and absorb the highly educational value of that profound bit of information. I am so glad I asked.
In fact, The JohnnyB is quite surprised at me. Y'see, I grew up and lived in a city that had its share of being the ultimate target for terror attacks and exploding busses and cafes. (Some of you may have heard of it: Jerusalem). Several years later, we were the target for Saddam's Scad missiles and the US Patriots missiles that added to the damage and fear. You just got used to it and went on with your life. Some people here even insist that I could kill a man with my hands. And after all that, I get all freaked out by a little tiny itsy bitsy earthquake?
Well, yes, I do!
I'm going to bed now, and shall do my best to follow the helpful advice my concerned loving sister gave me over the phone: "be careful".
Labels: Acculturation, Nature, WTF?
Don't feel bad, I had a similar reaction to my first and only 5.6. I was working on the 12th floor of an office building when that bad boy starting rumbling. Absolutely NO ONE else reacted to it. I jumped out of my seat screaming and ran for stairwell.
As a humorous sidenote, later that day, the doorknob to my company's front door fell off (after weeks of being loose). Anyway, the story around the office became that when I ran out of the office scared, I acutally ripped the doorknob off.
Well, at least you have the alibi of being on the 12th floor, which probably intensifies the experience. In your case, we're not talking swaying signs, but the whole building... you could have spared that doorknob, though :-)
At any rate, I plead normal and sane! I think everyone who stood still were crazy!
I haven't been in an earthquake, and 5.6 sounds pretty disturbing. People obviously get used to having tremors. SF has the nickname "Shakeytown".
People here would be freaked out for a year after something like that... and waiting for "the big one"!
Daniel - I'm the kind of guy that would say you ripped the doorknob off on your way out. Much better story - simplify and exagerate!
Nava - you didn't even feel the quake itself, only saw other people reacting. Definitely Lemming Syndrome to be freaked out because of something other people perceive. :)
On the other side of the mountain, it was rockin and rollin, big time! I ran for a doorway, and hung there wondering if I should make a break for it and go outside. No intenisity increase, so I held on . . . .wondering about my house's structure . . .after having been thru Loma Prieta . . . I am still very paranoid.
So . . .now you have been officially baptised a Californian, Nava! ;-)
I would have fuh-reaked out. As a child I had a terrible fear of earthquakes even though I grew up in the least likely spot to have an earthquake in the country, and I had this fantasy of having a helicopter follow me everywhere. That way, in case of an earthquake, I would just rise above it and would not get sucked into the earth or slammed under concrete. I have since realized this is an irrational fear, but this, I would have been very scared if I were in your shoes yesterday.
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As a humorous sidenote, later that day, the doorknob to my company's front door fell off (after weeks of being loose). Anyway, the story around the office became that when I ran out of the office scared, I acutally ripped the doorknob off.
At any rate, I plead normal and sane! I think everyone who stood still were crazy!
People here would be freaked out for a year after something like that... and waiting for "the big one"!
Nava - you didn't even feel the quake itself, only saw other people reacting. Definitely Lemming Syndrome to be freaked out because of something other people perceive. :)
So . . .now you have been officially baptised a Californian, Nava! ;-)
