Earthquakes

When we first got our trailer, every time my husband or son would roll over in bed my eyes when fly open because I thought it was an earthquake. Small or big, either way even in a dead sleep my heart would be racing and my eyes wide open looking into darkness.

I was thinking last night, I don't do that anymore. I've must be used to the movement now.

In 1987 I was in the biggest earthquake I'd ever been in. The epicenter was about five miles away from us in Whittier. It was a 5.9. There were waves in the swimming pool about six feet high and water splashed right out of the pool. The entertainment center fell over in the living room. You know how they tell you get in a doorway for an earthquake? That's just to make you think there's something you can really do. How many door frames do you see still standing after a big quake? None! Duh! Thing is, in a large quake you also can't walk very well on account of the earth rolling or jumping under your feet and the doors are opening and closing on you so how you supposed to stand in one? Who ever came up with that safety tip? It's really noisy during a big quake, then after it's quiet again. Transformers explode in the distance. There's smoke in the air. Actually it's dust.

I still kind of like earthquakes, littler ones! Not big ones. The two stories that I wish I could forget are a college student killed by an ornamental precipice that fell from a building on campus during an aftershock, and a tot killed by a brick that fell out of the fireplace onto her head in her home. They're stuck in my memory bank.