The first really big winter storm to punch its way through the Tennessee Valley is on our doorstep.
Oklahoma City is just about on our latitude, so this may be a portent of the next few days.
Extra bottled water, extra food in the pantry for people and pets, extra batteries for the flashlight, fuel in all the cars, each cell phone charged.
Sixteen years ago, one of these came through, and the county was caught dead flat-footed. Power disappeared for almost everyone, and for many, wasn't restored for weeks. We were out of the house for ten days, with a nine-year-old and a two-year-old to care for.
Turns out, the local electric utility, which had for decades collected fees to be escrowed for maintenance of the electric lines, especially to keep trees cut back off the lines, had simply decided to spend the money elsewhere. The ice storm arrived, and disaster ensued.
Unsurprisingly, the utility was in main part run by members of the local political machine...guess which party. Go ahead, guess...
Daily visits to the utility office were met with, 'We just can't tell you when we'll get to your area, sir', until the day after I called the family lawyer. The next day, I walked in, was met with the same response, and then loudly announced: 'Do ya'll know what a class-action suit is? We've got documented losses, and a specific group of people to identify as a class. I think we've got us a CASE here, ya'll! Wonder what we'll turn up in discovery? Whoo-wee, we gonna' have some fun with this one!'
The next day, the crews were on our street, repairing the lines.
Tomorrow, we find out how long everyone's memory is.
Think good thoughts for us....
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