Power Outage

Power has been out since before 4 AM.

Now 7 AM and I’m wondering how long

before it is restored? Hoping food in the

fridge will keep.

No music, no TV. My Echo, Alexa, has

no power and is sleeping the deep sleep.

No light, no sound, a cough from the

apartment upstairs.

No Internet, no WiFi, no microwave, cold

leftover coffee I suppose. Cellphone is on

it’s last bar, no electric recharge available.

How long will this be going on?

Dead silence, only the deafening sound

of thought waves emanating from my

brain. How much longer will this last?

Called Power and Light. Got the recording—

We’re working to restore power as soon

as we can.

Picture a cable man climbing a pole.

Generator blown, downed wires perhaps,

sub station on the fritz, who can say?

Quiet, dead silence. I’m thinking when

power is restored I’ll switch on everything

electrical at my disposal and reignite the

world with sight and sound.

Another cough from the apartment upstairs,

biologically generated, I’m thinking. Day-

light has arrived on time and sheds some

light, but still a dimmed darkness inside.

And yet, no goddamned Internet or TV. Can’t

revive Alexa to play some soothing music to

me. Computer battery running low...Got to go!

And then a flash and a whir at 7:47 AM...Eureka!

Hot coffee, music, and I flood the room with lots

of lights! Seeing much more clearly now than

merely with the light of day.

Before Edison, and his invention of a hundred

and forty years ago, by gas or candle light, I

would still be fumbling around in the dark.

And you, dear reader, would not be witness

to this in real time.

Alexa, play Beethoven’s 7^th Symphony.

                            -30-

Chris Hanch 6-5-2020