Aftermath

After a damaging storm, I observe the following:

Survivors tell their stories even to strangers.

People try to make money from the misery.

People who never have to ask for help find themselves receiving help and feel uncomfortable.

The street lights are gone.

Debris makes driving on city roads difficult because it pokes out into the street.

Everyone's car is filthy inside and out.

People tell you sad stories then talk about how lucky they feel to be alive.

People think that other people have it worse than they do even if they are standing on the empty slab of their home or business.

People need community whether it be their neighbors or church or bar much more when the world is unrecognizable.

People make quick decisions, often bad decisions, because the stress level is high.

People get sick from the stress, the heat and bad food.

Old people die because they can't face re-building or living through these conditions.

Losing one's mementos hurts.

Either tempers are hair-trigger or kindness spills out.

Pets are stressed.

Fragile people become even more fragile. Strong people begin to lose it.

Religious nuts have a field day.

Children have nightmares, get sick, act out and stop feeling safe anywhere.

Concerned,
St. Casserole