I can't get to my house. The street is running with water. Cars that were not moved to higher ground are now ruined in the salt water. Chris and his dog, Lucy, are neighbors living across the street. We had a mandatory evacuation. Chris refused to leave, so I said He could stay in my house because it was higher. Chris accepted. After the hurricane, I could not reach him. I was so worried about this young man. Why had He not called me? He has my cell phone number and I have his. I tried to reach him and got no answer.
His car is parked in my driveway.
After the National Guard and the Police allow us in, I drive through the flood and look for Chris. The apartment is definitely flooded. I can't get the door open. There must be water in front and in back of that door.
The main level door works. I call for Chris, looking in every room. He is not there. Such relief. He was not stranded in my house...but His car is.
The next stop is Chris' house. There He is. He has not called me because His cell phone battery is dead and there is no electricity in the area. He has water on the floor. The yard is washed away. Pieces of concrete are everywhere. Someone had their foundation crack. Yellow tape and "Unsafe. Do not enter." sign is on the building. Many people had it worse than I did. A few summer cottages were washed away. That is incredible. I've lived on Melba Street for 34 years and never saw a storm like this one.
I know from past experience that the first order of business is to get the water out. Per my call, the Fire Department brings a submersible pump and a gasoline fueled generator. In no time, the apparatus is pumping water out of my apartment. My job...the only one I can do at this time....my job is clear out the dry well in front of the apartment door. There is debris floating on a scummy pond in front of the door. The dry well is supposed to drain away that sort of thing. It never worked right. I had better get the water and debris out of there. My tools come from what I can find located under the kitchen sink.
Ernesto comes with another generator and pump. This one can get the water level down even further. Bless that man!
Pat comes by to see if she can help. She mentions my shop vac at the other house, but there is no electricity to run the shop vac. Pat points out that I can use the Fire Department's generator to run the shop vac. Of course! I drive to Park Circle, get the shop vac and We set it up. Ernesto uses the shop vac to clean the dry well. He must pick up the vac, carry it up the steps and dump it. It is very heavy, filled with filthy water...and probably sewerage, too but he manages to do it. Nothing much to do now. Time to go home and clean up. I will start clean up tomorrow.