The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune

PLEASE allow me to share a few thoughts are the recent hurricane expeirence we have all endured. Matthew may be gone, but I doubt will ever be forgotten.

As I sit here, with generator running, I am trying to recall the past several days. With Matthew it has beena blur. The hecticity to prepare beforehand and then the duration and aftermath.

I am grateful just to be here.

I have no phone, no internet, no electricity, no water and have been unable to contact friends/family to notify them that I am alive and well.

On thing I can say is that our friends and neighbours, even strangers, can rally round and be a wonderful resource. Once the “dust settled”, I ventured out of my yard, which I could not even identify as mine with the major damage and tree debris.

I met some neighbours, including a foreign ambassador that I had not had the occasion to meet before. We were all just trying to get a breath of fresh air and access things. The prognosis did not look good but we were all still alive and that is really all that counts at the end of the day.

After running the “gennie” for some 55 plus hours, it became apparent that I needed to get more diesel. I called on a neighbour to assist me. This was on Friday morning I think. I had major trees down in my driveway and was unable toget out. At the drop of a hat, I had two young men from next door - who just happened to be here visiting from Canada - assist me to move them.

I showed their mother around my waterside garden, which had most of our neighbouring homes’ docks, lumber, shingles and boats in it (I still don’t know where my boat went - but I hope someone enjoys it).

Once I was ableto leave my driveway, I attempted to go to a fuel station for diesel. I first went to the closest two or three. All were closed and in some boarded up. I had to keep going further and further west. I found a convenient place that was open and waited in line for about a half hour. No one was moving, the pumps were only sporadically working and the nature of the customers was quite rude, one might even say dangerous. I left.

Headingfurther west, I finaly found another station that was open. The car lines were out onto the road, blocking traffic. There were people shouting and behaving badly with jerry jugs, water jugs and anything possible that could hold fuel. Most were waiting for gasoline. Since I wanted diesel, I parked my car as close as possible - about two blocks way - and carried my jugs to the station. I met no employees on site but lined up for diesel anyway.

I spent almost one hour there to fill up four jerry jugs of diesel. The people waiting for gas were quite rude, shouting, fighting and carrying on. There were actually two police officers stationed there to keep them in line (thank you!). It was like a bad horror movie.

While waiting for diesel, I spoke to several other people waiting in line, all with jerry jugs. I had already been there for quite a while and they came along after me. As it turned out, two very wonderful gentlemen helped me out - we all finally got our diesel and a Jamaican man helped me to get my fuel jugs into my car before he was even served.

Having spent three hours plus getting fuel, I returned home only to find out that my generator had died. My son had called a technician - yes, on a Friday afternoon in the aftermath of Matthew when driving was impossible and people had their own issues to deal with like roofs, family safety etc.This fabulopus generator mechanic did not hesitate. He was at my house within an hour or two and got the generator up and running.

I want to say how grateful I am for some of these wonderful people. We can all come together and help each other in times of strife. I surely hope we do not see another Matthew but I thank all those who have helped make it an easier ride.

It just shows that we Bahamian still have a lot of love, faith, charity and goodness.

Addendum (October 9): Thank God for our neighbours. Janet from across the street came through with a brand new chainsaw. This would have been no use to me, except that my gardener called on Saturday (a day earlier) and asked if I needed help. I said yes please and bring along any willling asistants that can help.

My neighbour came through with this new chainsaw, complete with gas and oil (delivered in her pyjamas!) and then the gardeners put it to work.

What a fabulous community we have here. People do support each other when push comes to shove. My garden may be naked and I am still quiteemotional about the whole experience but we are still here and have had wonderful assistance from the neighbouring community members.

Thank you all!

BT

Nassau

October 7, 2016