That fact that I live on a faultline is easy to put to the back of my mind. Despite frequent reminders on television to Be Prepared, we still haven't gotten about to fastening all our large moveable objects so that they don't fall on us in the next big quake.
There was a series of quakes last night, some strong enough to make me consider ducking under the door frame (but not quite). It brought to mind a couple of earthquake stories from the past.
When I was in my teens, there was a big quake strong enough to make the coffee table (on which my brother and I were playing mini-table tennis) skid from one end of the lounge to the other.
Another time, still in my youth, the whole house shook so hard I really thought it was going to be the big one. And I was in the worse possible position for such an event. I was sitting on the toilet. I was agnostic then as well as now, but I prayed to God not to let me die with my pants around my ankles.
Several years ago, there was an earthquake while I was at work. The only person in the vicinity who didn't notice was an effervescent workmate who was jumping up and down in frustration (really).
It's not that I'm completely unprepared for the big, overdue earthquake-which-will-sink-the-North-Island. I still have my emergency box from the Year 2000 scare.
3 comments:
My emergency box would contain BBQ potato chips, lip balm, and porno. Not much help in an earthquake, i'm afraid
My emergency box is a Chevette. Very nice.
Jon: Wot, no hair gel?
Nigel: A car might help if your mayor was about to turn into a snake demon and devour your town; you might be able to get away fast enough. But in the event of a big earthquake the roads might not be very good. Perhaps an SUV?
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