The Boy was home for the past two weeks – taking a well-earned break between contracts. He’s been working as a power company field auditor, knocking out 50-60 hours a week on the job and needed the downtime before heading out again on his next assignment.
Given his new profession on the road, he wanted a chance to visit with Mom while he was back in town, so i arranged to bring her up to visit for a few days. Good time spent hanging out together, but The Boy was working pretty hard to keep her in hot coffee and food while i was at work on Friday.
Arriving home after a day at the office, i learned that The Boy had been put on “One Hour Deployment” notice — he is among the power industry workers sent into the hurricane zone to prepare for the “Frankenstorm” heading toward the eastern coast of the US.
As he filled me in on what little logistical details he had, he started to laugh.
The Boy: Yeah, I was in the middle of fixing Granny a grilled cheese sandwich. Told her that I had gotten notice to be ready to go within an hour and she said “Well, you better finish up that sandwich first”.
Took Momma to see a show at our local theater, which shares space with a Senior Citizens center. As part of the Halloween decor, the seniors had added Mr. Bones to the lobby. This was pretty brilliant…
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The Boy has come a long way over the past year – i’m delighted to see him settle into his skin as the fine young man he has always carried inside him. As we discussed his first “Hurricane Deployment”, after just signing onto this job last summer, he was simultaneously excited and anxious about the job ahead.
“I’m driving into a fucking hurricane! Holy shit!”
Making lists of gear he still needed to buy, i suggested he needed to get a badass rain suit like Jim Cantore, famous hurricane chaser from the Weather Channel. Duct tape and trash bags. He was already on it, also stocking his truck with cases of water, a carton of cigarettes, and road-suitable food stock.
He received more info on the nature of the job as he finished loading the truck. His crew will be responding to emergency calls reporting downed lines. Doing triage to determine if they are phone, fiber optic, or hot. In the middle of a hurricane.
Shit.
In general, i’m not much of a worrier. Gotta admit, there’s a little bit of pucker here.
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On the ‘stranger than fiction’ side, however, he is being sent into New Jersey. A small town where my friend the unbearable banishment resides. E-mails have been sent, phone numbers exchanged, and fingers crossed for all involved…
Trailer Park Refugee 
Now that would be one helluva way to meet UB!
I’ve been thinking about my NY and OH friends.Hope you all come through unscathed.
And would someone please fetch that poor guy a rug for his wheelchairknees! 🙂
they’d get along ok – they both love Bukowski. we’re not really getting much from the storm out here. just rain and wind. but it’s a big ‘un….
they have a cute budweiser hat on Mr. Bones. wondering why he doesn’t have a modesty blanket on his lap….
How remarkable! There’s a god of blogging who wants to bring your dynasties together.
I love Mr Bones–deathly black humour is great! Good luck to the Boy in these windy times.
mr. banishment and i have met up several times – we have a mutual ‘real life’ friend. we share him as a ‘blog father’. plus, i visit whenever i’m in NYC and he hooks me up with the best theatre suggestions!
Good luck to The Boy!
And I love that picture of your mum and Mr. Bones.
Mom had a great time – i am trying to bring her up to visit every few months. She enjoys the break from the noise and hubub at my niece’s house…. and it seems there has been no additional progress on the renovations at her home, so…
The young fella has big balls, just like his mammy. I think the feckin storm had better watch out!
Stay safe doll.
he’s smart, has good instincts, and has had some training (ie: “Don’t touch any metal during a storm like this…”). he’s going to learn a lot out there. and get paid well to learn it…
Echoing everyone else. Good luck to The Boy. I love your mama and her badly fed friend.
She was tempted to pour the lemonade inside. i wanted to put a half-eaten cookie in his belly, but figured that was a bit over the top. it’s moments like these that let me know where i got some of my complete dorkiness…
I hope all ride the storm out ok – an ex pat American friend of mine who lives over here now managed to just sneak onto one of the last flights out of NYC just before it all shut down. She is now home safe and sound but worrying for her family too
My sister and her partner were in Washington DC this weekend for the Marine Corps marathon – flight to FL was cancelled last night, so they locked down a rental car and made far enough south today to catch a flight home… It’ll all be ok, but the next few days will be edgy for all with connections to the coast.
Stranger than fiction is right. I think he’s just a few miles from my house. Give him my address for when the power lines come crashing down, which they have assured us will happen by nightfall. Put us to the front of the queue! I need the internet!
His text today said not much poppin’ yet. i’ll pass along your coordinates and let him know that you’re stocked with beer in case of emergency. You ARE stocked with beer, aren’t you?
Love the picture of your mom! She’s a pip. Down hear in southeastern Massachusetts, it’s getting quite “breezy”. Hope the boy stays safe.
Hi Cheryle! Yes, she’s a ‘pip’! i like that description of her…Hope you all stay safe and dry, and have packed in all suitable provisions!
I want mr. Bones! Good luck to The Boy, and I hope he is very careful. Even downgraded hurricanes are nothing to fool with. My brother is in Connecticut sans power right now. So sorry for NYC and Jersey…
i like to think he was a realistic model, rather than a former member of the senior center…. but he looked pretty good! News from The Boy is good – he’s doing mostly ‘guard’ duty on downed lines, freeing up the skilled repair folks from the more mundane work. Says he’s basically getting paid to sit in his truck, smoke, and read his kindle… Not bad work.
We had to drive to East Tennessee last Sunday and noticed lots of work trucks heading the same way. After about the 10th one we realized they were going to help out with storm damage. Lots of tree surgery trucks as well. Glad to hear that you escaped.
They seemed to have learned some lessones over the past few years – getting crews in place BEFORE the storms hit. The Boy and about 60 of his colleagues were parked in motels all in the path of the storm (not seaside, however). Turns out, it’s pretty easy to book a room when a hurricane comes to town… Here in central Ohio, we got 2 days of wind and heavy rain, but no major damage….
late to comment, but hope all is well with The Boy. love the pic of your mama, sugar! xoxoxoxox
He’s doing well – expect he’ll be returning here for a few days later this week. And Momma had a grand old time with Mr. Bones…