What Happened in Downtown Manhattan During Hurricane Sandy

There is a loud noise. The building sways in the wind. In the candle light, taking a sip of red wine, I’m taping this out against the glow of my IPad. How romantic! I’m in the company of one of my closest friends. Forever more, we can say, “Remember when?”

“How lucky I am! Safe and warm while the former ex marine turned photographer, cranks up his man powered emergency flashlight-radio gadget to hear the news.

When was the last time you listened to the news in the dark? I feel like I’m living in a black and white film.

What of the world outside? Every other scratchy syllable spells out emergencies and disasters. I am almost cut off from the world. The loud noise turns out to be from an explosion one block away at ConEd which explains why we are in the dark.

My friend lights his cigarette. I reach for my phone in it’s amber glow. I have no signal.

No phone. No internet. Now I feel cut off. I take another sip to calm my nerves.

“Well, I guess there’s no school tomorrow either.” I say to my friend.

We watch a movie with the remaining power of one of our laptops.

There is nothing to do but listen to the angry night and stay calm.

But I’m thinking of all the homeless, animals, children, elderly and handicapped.

The people who have no where to go, people who at that moment might be losing everything. How grateful I am to be safe and dry.

We are semi awake all night as the radio crackles opipeto_2000@yahoo.comn. Dawn breaks. The only noise, sirens and renegade taxis getting their hustle on.

We still have running water and gas. We boil water and make coffee.

What do we do? Stay put? Go offer our man power to help out? But, who, where and how? We decide to play it safe for now.

I say to my friend, “Thank god we are in NYC, home of the Stock Market. You know if we were in some poor, third world fishing village, we would be really screwed. We are in Manhattan, they’re going to fix it. We are so lucky. I wish there was something I could do to help. Yet, I am almost helpless! Since I live next to Battery Park, I had to evacuate and as I write this, unable to return home.

New Yorkers seem to really shine amidst severe disasters. My friend, who is Colombian says, “Even in Bogota we don’t go through this shit. The capital of the world has shut down.” Will we rise to the occasion?

Why is it that it takes crisis for us to be humane to one another? Can we learn from this? Will we? How long will it take to get back to a new normal? Is my apartment still in one piece? I have no way of finding out or getting down there at the moment.

How will we emerge from the raging water, and wind?

It’s up to us. My heart goes out to this city and region that I love.

Another chance to show the world what we’re made of. That Manhattan is as close to a utopian society as there is to be found. For our ability to come together, re build, be kind to one another, humanitarian, almost polite is amazing. Knowing that the world will look on, to see what we do, and how we do it. This is our chance to be our best.

As of today I am still not in my building. I am displaced to friends couches. The world has forgotten that downtown Manhattan has been damaged. FEMA workers offer nothing that can help. We are left to fend for ourselves. The only consolation is we have our health and faith that soon everything will be normal