Lights Out

Darkness fell over the entire city. The only lights were coming from the businesses with generators. The town was dark. No street lamps. No lit windows. Nothing but darkness. Spooky. I sat in the tienda with my host brother enjoying the light produced from gasoline. People were roaming the streets. Children came into the tienda to buy candles. It had already been three hours. Still there was no light. Luckily the moon was full so people could see where they were going. When the time came, we closed the tienda and started home. I was frightened so I took my host grandpa's arm. My host brother was on the other side and asked me why I was afraid. Scary things happen in the dark. I could see the stars. They were comforting. We arrived home and lit candles. Eating dinner by candlelight set a whimsical scene. My host mom gave me a candle to take to my room. It was eerily quiet. No music. No firecrackers. No televisions. Just the occasional sound of a rooster crowing. I fell asleep to candlelight. The next morning, the light had yet to return. My computer and cell phone were now dead. What to do? I read a book. I worked for a few hours. Then I headed to the tienda. We watched people walk through the streets. Boredom had set in and people were looking for an entertaining outlet. I headed to the park. It was full of people watching a volleyball game. It had now been 24 hours without electricity in the entire city. Once the volleyball game was over, the lights had come back on. Just in time for the sun to set. The day of darkness had passed hopefully not to return anytime soon.

After 24 hours without power, I realized how simple life can be without computers, televisions and radios clogging up our minds and taking up our time. It was like I had stepped back in time when people sat in the park and chatted or walked through the streets just to pass the time. I laid in my hammock and wrote because I had nothing else consuming my energy. It was refreshing and unsettling at the same time. Being disconnected from the outside world is a blessing and a curse. Hopefully the next time the darkness takes over the city, I will be better prepared.