Be Prepared

   More Letters From Hawaii

             Be Prepared

 Hurricane warning. What's the first thing you should do?  You know, quick, fill the bathtub. Why? So you will be able to flush toilets when the power fails.  Flashlights, water, battery or crank power radio, can opener, canned food, Sterno camp stove, medicines, toilet paper.  Why toilet paper?  Because some time ago there was an emergency due to a dock strike on the mainland. Toilet paper was impossible to buy. That's probably why you always see shoppers with big packages of it. We also buy large packages, so as not to be caught with our pants down. 
Living out in the country back there in Michigan, Tonto and I were well prepared when the earthquake hit us back in 2006.  We were just leaving for church and heading for the elevator when it hit.  I wanted to go on, but Tonto persuaded me not to. Good move, or we would have been trapped for a couple of days. As it was the light fixture over the dining table was swinging back and forth.  When the quake had ceased, our neighbors on this floor, the 30th, joined us in a picnic  type  meal.  All the lights were out, and all of the city was in darkness. I cranked up the propane stove, and we all suffered with warm martinis.
                  Aloha
                  Grant