2003 Story Set
| Date: December 22, 2003 I was at work the Monday before Christmas - since they still had not paid me. I was waiting for a check. Christmas was coming up fast. So was the Visa bill. And suddenly the desk started swimming in front of my eyes. I had a sensation of nausea. I know this feeling. I checked. I had been drinking diet soda. I had orange juice and decaf for breakfast. I was having an Atkins shake for lunch. Was I dehydrated? I had ended up in the emergency room rolled down from my son's isolation room on one occasion. Learned to keep Gatoraid in the car. I gripped the table I have for a keyboard tray. Was it stopping? No - It was still going! The cubicle was still swimming before my eyes. I felt more nausea. I was convinced I was going to hit the floor. Was I having an attack? Then I heard other people chatter at each other as the offices emptied. It's an Earthquake. How big? And where? When the ground stopped moving under me - I stepped out. Earthquakes big or little turn my stomach over because I was in the Reseda Quake in the 1970s - 10 miles off the epicenter. Took damage. Aftershocks were 4.5 and 5.5 in magnitude. I would freak at every one of them for over a year. This one was a 6.5 located midway between LA and SF. We merely had a peripheral wave. A roller. Yikes. I did advise my boss that standing in a window in these pre-fab buildings is NOT a good idea! (He just moved here from Texas.) Under your desk is better! Took a bit to calm my stomach down. Yep - damage and people dead - three so far. Little old 1800's town. Old Adobe - fell over. Of course it did. Up and down the state are the ruins of the adobe missions - and they each went out in a quake. Haven't felt any of the aftershocks. Don't want to. |
www.Donnamaie.com home page
For information about this file or to report problems in its use email dew@Donnamaie.com