Derrick Miller
DUNCAN — When I was in the twilight of my youth, I was afraid of the dark.
Around 6 years old, I got over this fear by desensitizing myself to the dark by turning off my fish aquarium light each night. Monday night, I discovered my fear of the dark returned, when a two-hour power outage threw my world into blackness.
No, it’s not the same fear that used to keep me wondering what’s lurking at night. Instead, the darkness brings the fear my electricity won’t return.
This fear extends from four days without power, beginning Thursday. I know there are many people throughout Stephens County still without electricity. I have friends and colleagues in this situation.
Like many people, I didn’t expect to lose power for long. But some time between Thursday afternoon and Sunday, I began to wonder.
I spent part of Thursday night in my living room before the cold drove me to seek refuge in the warmest and smallest room in my apartment — the bathroom. I flipped the light switch to let me know when my electricity came on.
I piled blankets on the floor, lit candles and blocked off the bottom of the door with a towel. I armed myself with a couple of flashlights, a boom box, peanut butter and crackers, books, and my cell phone. By Friday morning, I was bored.
Actually, Friday started with a bang; that is, my head against the toilet. There’s nothing quite like a phone call at 8:30 a.m. in a dark room to make you lose all sense of your surroundings.
One thing that helped me deal with the situation was text messages and phone calls from friends and family members. Friends provided me with information of what was going on outside my makeshift fort. The phone calls from my family provided me with much needed support.
By Friday night, I was hungry. In desperation, I cooked mostly frozen hot dogs over non-scented emergency candles. The parts I burned were decent, but the cold spots weren’t pleasant.
I know I could have gone to the emergency shelter for heat and real food, but I didn’t want to leave my home. So, I stayed. Besides, it gave me a reason to have Tom Petty’s “Refugee” playing in my head.
Saturday, I escaped my apartment, the bathroom. I headed to one of the few open stores to get some supplies, which consisted of more water, chips, marshmallows and M&Ms.; I got bread and lunch meat, which made for my first real meal in two days.
That night in my car, I listened to the radio, charged my cell phone and got some warmth. On the radio, a woman with disaster relief mentioned Stephens County was on its way to having power restored. That woman allowed me to believe I would be warm in my home, soon.
That was until I found many of my fish, some of which I bought just days before, were goners. I went to bed unsure, my fear of the darkness growing.
I am an optimistic person, but I began to lose hope.
I spent Sunday morning in the bathroom, because it was too uncomfortable in the rest of my apartment. After reading some and coloring a picture in a book, I set my head down in my hands from emotional exhaustion. It was then I heard my answering machine asking to be reset. I lifted my head and was greeted with light. I rejoiced.
It was in that moment I realized, together, we will get through this.
— Derrick Miller is a reporter for The Duncan Banner. He can be reached at 580-255-5354, Ext. 160, or via e-mail at derrick.miller@duncanbanner.com.
