The news from Deerfield Beach Florida

I reached an old friend to check how she was dealing with Wilma.

Still no power, still no gasoline, which means even people with generators are not out of the woods. Dark as a dungeon at night. The stars are unbelievably bright. Some desperate souls sleep in their cars in line at the gas station. Supermarkets expected to open today. The cat is freaked out and follows her from room to room.

Everyone grilling the evening meal. Smell of steak cooking permeates the cool air. Lots of neighborhood camaraderie. A local restaurant sold pulled pork, rice and beans on the sidewalk. You have to be in before curfew time, but that’s O.K. because it is so friggin’ dark. She gets a few hours for her fridge from the neighbor’s generator. Large iguanas that lived under the roof tiles chased out when the roof tiles flew off have been seen sunning themselves on the roof. No one could believe how big they were. A fox was spotted in the yard. Well, no wonder the cat is freaked out. Hadn’t seen a fox in the neighborhood for eons. Probably washed out of her den.

Screen around pool area mostly in front yard with many roof tiles. The swimming pool is a tank of leaves and branches. A tree went thru front window, but didn’t do much damage. My friend sounded so cheerful and upbeat that it was difficult to comprehend that Wilma was one big-assed storm. Laughing about everything. Good attitude. We laugh that we may not cry.

Another friend had the windows blow out in her high rise condo in Boca. She hated the hurricane shutters and never got them. Hindsight always 20/20. Lots of elderly folks live in the building, but the elevator and hall lights were on a generator, so they coped. Everyone sat out in the hall, made coffee and chatted. The living room was trashed, except a crystal chandelier is till intact. I mourn for her immense rosewood sideboard and hope that it can be refinished. The power is now on, and things are looking up.

Still waiting for hear from another friend in Plantation. The Florida writers checking in on the bulletin boards sound upbeat. Someone remarked that there will be a lot of hurricane mysteries and suspense novels coming out in a year or two. Onward.

Aloha

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