The wind really started to pick up about 6 pm Friday, September 12, 2008 and I guess by 7 pm you could consider it a full blown hurricane. At least there were now serious gusts of wind. At 6:30 pm Friday I heard the loud pop of a transformer exploding, and promptly lost electricity at home.
Foolishly I guess, I drove around a little and made a couple of stops. I stopped at a grocery store looking for a Houston Chronicle. With no power at home, I thought I could at least catch up on the news reading a paper by candlelight. I especially wanted to catch up on McCain/Palin and Obama/Biden. The store was closed for the storm but I stopped and walked to the front. Several workers were outside. I asked for a paper. “We’re closed,” they said, “and the newspaper machines have been moved inside to prevent them from blowing away.” We talked a couple of minutes and I said, “I’ll make it worth your while if you’ll go in and get me a paper.” A young man said, “Just a minute.” “Fred” (not his real name) walked in, could not get a current Chronicle, but he did get me a Baytown Sun. I offered him several dollars and he refused. I insisted and placed some dollar coins in his hand. As I walked away, he caught up to me and said in a low voice, “My name is ‘Fred.’” Anything you need in the future, just ask for me.” Who knows, this little incident may help some of you in the days to come. We believers should be generous. And it was worth the little money I spent just for that story. Who knows, I might need “Fred” again one of these days?
I drove by the post office when Ike was first beginning to be felt. They had a new USA flag flying at half mast. The next day I would see it tattered to shreds.
The winds of Ike began to push water up against the Texas shore and into the bays, rivers and bayous. Before the power went off, I saw pictures of a man’s inland small frame house on blocks. The water was already up to the floor of his house and it had not even begun to rain. Sadly, the poorest usually suffer the most in a hurricane.
I parked my car at the end of my driveway, almost on the road and as far as possible from a large willow oak tree. I was concerned that the tree might blow down on the car. Many branches did blow down, but the tree stood secure. My car had tree limbs strewn all around it, but the car, my escape to the outside world, was unharmed.
Ike was the finest storm I have ever experienced. I was impressed! I was fascinated. Winds were stronger than I thought. And it seemed to last forever. The winds would blow and blow and blow. You would hear strange noises, blowing, howling, whistling, screeching, banging; not all at once, they varied through the night. Occasionally a substantial limb from my tree or the neighbor’s would loudly thump against the roof. Throughout the night I would go through the house with a flashlight inspecting the windows and any ceiling damage or leaks.
There was a strange occurrence at 12:30 am. I was halfway trying to sleep in the midst of the storm and darkness. Suddenly I felt a breeze. With the electricity off and windows closed, there was not supposed to be a breeze in my house. “Oh no. A window has to be out, maybe a wall or part of the roof,” I worried. I found the flashlight, turned it on and started to look. Then I realized the fan was on. I have a small, quiet, tower fan. The light switches had been turned off so the fan and air conditioner were the only things that had come on. The breeze from both had hit me and caused me to think something terrible had happened. The windows, walls, and roof were still secure.
“I can’t believe it. I’m in the middle of a strong category two hurricane and I have electricity. This is too good to be true.” I turned on a couple of lights. Turned on the TV. Went to the refrigerator and got something to eat. Fifteen minutes later the lights went off for good. It was fun while it lasted.
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-David R. Brumbelow, Highlands, Texas. September 14, AD 2008
