PAGES OF MY JOURNAL
INVISiBLE, Page One
She doesn’t see me sitting there,
She stares and stares at an empty chair.
Does the day start too early to catch her eye?
What should I do to make her aware of me?
Or should I try?
My life is made up of distinct pages.
There was the incident regarding the hamster.
I hated to see its demise;
And the page regarding the neighbor’s cat,
I have no vocabulary to describe that.
So much to learn from the cat, but now it’s gone, that darn cat!”
The dog was a remarkable mutt,
Winning several hearts with an unflappable eagerness
From the day she appeared.
The dog belonged to someone , or to no one,
It didn’t matter at the time.
Until the story was over, I didn’t have time to check her out.
The hurricanes were the real story and I focused on them. I’m not good at story telling so I’ll just tell my story kind of relaxed, kind of like I am. If you get confused I’ll try to explain when I have time but you have to realize that I’m not as good as the others.
THE AFTERMATH OF HURRICANE ONE
As people ran from one house to the other they left things behind.
Maybe that was how Tripod, named after a three -legged camera stand, got rescued. She was simply left behind and tried to follow her owners, or maybe the water got high enough and she escaped her cage.
I did notice she did not like men. When I pulled her from the water she tried to bite but her teeth were gone, knocked out by someone in a bad mood. Her right hind leg hung limply and appeared to be unfit for use. At least I never saw her try to use it I decided she had been terribly mistreated. I wrapped a blanket around her and forgot she was there for a while.
Although at first she tried desperately to get away, she began to settle down. As we paddled around the streets looking for peoplewho were trapped, I began to feel new strength in my arms and legs. I wasn’t used to helping others and this just felt right.
“Yes, I was living again, and words written on the pages proved my existence. Now, if I can find a woman to keep me warm and happy, my life will be better than I ever imagined.
September 20, 2017
By Dan
PAGE TWO
I was sure I heard a sound, but I was alone and no one was around.
I couldn’t decide whether it was my imagination or a person, or the creaking and groaning of another house being lifted from its foundation. I was ready to turn back but I heard the sound again, this time closer. I still had no evidence that something was alive, and I was in dangerous waters. I wasn’t sure which way to go anymore. Most of the rescuers had retreated for the night and I didn’t see anybody around. With luck maybe I would find someone drifting in the currents and I could rescue them and me at the same time. unless it was a crew of crazy weathermen proving they could stay alive during a storm, I wasn’t sure I wanted to meet people who were possibly armed and dangerous, prepared to take over a small boat. I had gone through floods and storms before, and I had seen many people lose their cool when their lives were in danger.
The sound was nearby and I worked my way around a tree that had fallen between two houses. The tree was on the verge of lifting up and moving downstream. The water was pushing the tree and the houses, and I could feel the tree shudder as smaller objects struck. The sound I was hunting for, began again, but this time in rhythm. I tied my boat to the tree and went inside the first house. Two people, their eyes large and frightened, grabbed me. I was afraid they might make me a victim also if they didn’t let go. Before I could swing a branch at them I saw their senses were returning. I urged them into the boat, and despite worrying about leaving them with my boat and supplies, I went into the second house. Four children moved towards me and I carried one at a time into the boat. The houses and the tree were beginning to shift and the two adults were standing up in the boat, trying to unloose the knot. Just in time! I told both to sit down or I would throw them overboard. We had gone less than twenty feet when the two houses lost their grip on the tree. Both houses slipped into the current just behind us and I started the boat motor. The extra weight of six made the boat slower and the houses began gaining on the boat, but I refused to panic. I still had to redeem myself.
Another page to keep my thoughts organized. PAGE THREE
Dawn was near and the two houses had gained speed as the stream widened. The rain continued pouring down and I felt helpless. The six people wanted to get out of the boat and I was tired of their complaints. Maybe I should throw one overboard so they understood the seriousness of the situation. While I mulled this concept the little dog stuck her head out from under the blanket. She was shivering and looked like she was starving. The two adults and the four children had worn out their welcome but the dog could stay. I liked dogs.
There was a television crew filming the destruction for their morning show. They focused on us as we motored slowly by. One of the newsmen called out, “you’d better get to shore. You’ll be running into a sea of debris in a few minutes. Why are you out this early? The rules were clear. You only endanger other rescuers when you don’t follow directions.”
On television some crews had helped bring survivors to shore or kept the pilots informed as to the exact locations of those needing help. The teams of rescuers would prepare their supplies as the helicopters circled, survey the area for hazards, and lower their baskets. The rescuers worked efficiently, working in groups, while this television crew did nothing to help and only succeeded in putting themselves in harm’s way. For example, three of the television crew climbed into their boat and sped off looking for an exciting interview.
The military teams were still getting organized and now I saw the mass of trees and house parts ahead. It seemed like forever but the sky cleared for a few minutes, allowing one helicopter to slip beneath the clouds. The crew was efficient and quick, knowing that their time was limited. Three times the basket lowered and lifted the six to the hovering copter. Then the army group waved and disappeared into the returning clouds.
PAGE FOUR
Alone at last, just me and the dog. The boat was lighter and I negotiated my way through the debris. I didn’t get far before I came across the t.v. crew and they were in trouble. One of the newsmen had tried to slow their boat by grabbing a tree branch. The front of the boat rose up and the back sank deeper. “Let go of the branch before you sink your boat,” I yelled. He released the branch and the boat continued down the stream. I pulled up alongside of them and saw they had a rope. I towed them back to their starting point.
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