Thursday, November 8, 2018

Ever at the Ready


The LED light you bought the other day
in case the power goes out again where
you live. In case of emergency, one must
be prepared. The gadgets, gizmos, twist

ties and rubber bands you’ve stuffed into
the junk drawer: Even though some of the
items are unidentifiable to you, availability
of such odds and ends could possibly come

in handy one day. The boxes and containers
stored in the basement or attic, piled high
in the corners of closets are always at the
ready should you need to ship or store any

of the other stuff you have managed over
time to accumulate. You do not officially
qualify as a hoarder, but being considered
a pack rat seems reasonable to say. You’ve

invested in a stock pile of MREs just in case
the Apocalypse or famine should happen
your way. Batteries, drinking water, portable
radio, generator, can opener, Swiss army

knife will certainly be a necessity in keeping
you safe. You’ve just mowed the lawn and
are ready to trim the edges along the sidewalk.
Now, where in hell did you put that weed eater?

You search the garage and basement when you
remember loaning it to your neighbor the other
day. If any or all of this I have said thus far rings
true for you, our lives have been in part or full-on

tailored and adapted to this way of preparedness
in America today. I am struck, however, with the
Bedouin way of seeing things as he traverses
the Sahara Desert in Africa, packing everything

he needs on his camel with nothing but the
sand the sun and wind in his face. Never a need
to track down his neighbor for the weed eater
never returned.

Chris Hanch 11-8-18

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