Hurricane Wilma Part II

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So, when we left off I was reminiscing about living in Southern Florida two years ago. Hurricane Ivan swept through - no big deal. We weren't expecting Hurricane Wilma to be a big deal either. Hurricane Katrina swept through New Orleans and the whole nation was caught up with disaster relief programs and doing whatever it took to help the victims. So, when we saw the Wilma was sort of heading our way, we just figured it wouldn't affect us very much. If anything, we'd get some heavy rains, the temperature would drop a little bit which would be a big relief and if I was really lucky I'd get a day or two off from the restaurant where I was waiting tables.

Anyway, to be honest, I was really caught up in my addiction once again and my life was basically revolving around getting drugs, using drugs and finding ways and means to get more. I was lucky enough - or very unlucky enough to have found a pretty reliable dealer that lived pretty close. I was just going about my normal routine when Hurricane Wilma swept in.

I hadn't even gone to store to stock up on bottled water. I had a few candles left from the last storm, there were a couple of cans of soup in the house and we hadn't even put the storm shutters up on the house.





The winds picked up DRASTICALLY! At one point we were getting 120 mph winds and the trees were blowing so, they were like parallel to the house. Roommate managed to get out there during the storm and put up the shutters, but one of them blew partially off, and it was banging in and out - slamming against the house. I fell asleep finally and then I woke up to find that the power was gone, the T.V. was gone, the AC was gone and the true nightmare began.

The shutter ended up blowing out really hard at one point and went THROUGH the living room window. I seriously thought I was going to die.

And then the eye went over us. I've never seen anything like it. The rain stopped, the sun came out, the the birds started chirping and I was thinking it might be over, but I was able to get a call out via cellphone to my parents and I had them turn on the weather channel. I needed to find out if the eye was over us or if the storm was over. Unfortunately, it was the eye. The second half of the storm would prove to be even worse.

The only really good thing is that the wind was blowing parallel to the house. Instead of directly into the house. If the wind would have blowing into the front window, we certainly would have lost the roof.

As it was, I was able to stand in the window where the glass was broke and watch debris fly down the street 120 miles per hour. It was one of the scariest things I've ever lived through. At one point I was just lying in the hallway - it was the only place that wasn't near any windows.

I think I finally fell asleep and then eventually the storm subsided and we made it through - but unfortunately this was what we woke up to...






I couldn't even make it down the street. Trees were down everywhere and I was STARVING. I ended up walking to the corner store which had no power, but they had coldcuts and they were milking this storm for everything they could. There was a line of people out the door. I'm one of those people that goes to the beach right before a storm to see the waves and to get caught up in the drama and excitement of the approaching storm and then I'm also the type that goes out as soon as possible afterwards to survey the damage. I had a feeling we'd be without power for a long time and I was kicking myself for not properly preparing. jesus! What was I thinking?

Anyway, I was able to get a few things at the store and I had some sandwiches made. OF course they always apply a curfew to Del Ray Beach after a hurricane because of the looting and rioting. That night roommmate and I sat outside - luckily the temperature had dropped a lot so there wasn't any need for the air conditioning. I saw so many stars that night. It's amazing how dark a town is when all of the electricity is out for miles and miles.

After day 4 without any power I ended up begging my parents to fly me back to Maryland. The flights were finally working and I was able to get my car to the Fort Lauderdale airport. I think the power ended up being out for 13 days at the house I was living in. Thank god I got out of there and was able to detox for like the 20 millionth time on my parent's couch.

What a nightmare. This was the last hurricane I ever had to go through because I moved to Las Vegas shortly thereafter.