Where were you when the lights went out? That was a common discussion in the greater Houlton area Wednesday evening as an intense storm blasted through the area, bringing with it high winds, torrential rain and an impressive display of lightning.
It also caused a town-wide power outage that lasted for about three hours right around the time most folks were trying to decide what to fix for supper. According to John Clark, president of Houlton Water Company, the storm knocked out two main transmission lines almost simultaneously, which is something he had not seen in nearly 30 years with the company.
Seeing as how it was the dinner hour, we were caught unprepared for such a contingency and our meal options were slim. There was chips and salsa, tuna fish or the always popular and yet somewhat ignored peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
I was going to spend some time looking in the refrigerator for choices, when my wife promptly put a halt to that plan when she stated matter of factly, “Don’t open the fridge. We don’t know how long power will be out and we don’t want food to spoil.”
I was pretty sure that the power would be back well before we reached the critical food degradation point, but I let it go and went with the peanut butter and jelly. It was strangely satisfying and brought me back to a younger time when these sandwiches were a staple of my lunchbox.
Apparently we were not alone as many people posted on Facebook later that evening that they too partook of the peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
It’s amazing how reliant we have become as a society on electricity and technology to both provide the bare necessities and to entertain us. At least that was the case in our household. As darkness began to creep in, there was a mad scurry to locate our flashlights, headlamps, lanterns, candles and any other device we could think to illuminate the house.
This was also when I noticed that my cell phone was almost dead. Note to self, always plug-in your phone the minute the battery hits the halfway point. Also, make sure electric lantern is charged and flashlights have proper batteries.
It wasn’t long before our children started in with the “I’m bored” routine. So, out came the board game classics “Battleship” and “Life,” along with the card game “UNO.”
After a couple of games, I decided to hop into the car and search for that one dramatic photo of someone reading a book by candlelight or people gathered around a small bonfire. I always have an idea for a photo I want to capture, but it doesn’t always pan out.
So I set out during the storm with camera in tow and it was a surreal setting to say the least. It was almost like being in a movie about the apocalypse as streets, business and most homes were left in the dark. It was a bit unnerving to go up the North Road and see McDonalds empty and a plethora of vehicles parked at the Irving Big Stop trying to buy gas the moment the power came back.
Turn off the power and many people seem to lose all common sense, particularly when it comes to driving. We have become so accustomed to traffic lights telling us when we need to stop and when we can go, that without them, it’s a giant pileup game of “who goes first?”
Riding through the neighborhood streets, it was heartwarming to see so many families out trying to make the best of things by enjoying an impromptu barbecue. Why didn’t I think of that?
Joseph Cyr is a staff writer for the Houlton Pioneer Times. He can be reached at pioneertimes@nepublish.com or 532-2281.
