“Did you feel the earthquake last night?” was the question going around the teacher’s room as I walked in during a class break.No, I said, before thinking. Then I remembered being awakened around midnight by some noises, looking up at the ceiling and seeing the light fixture swaying. At the time, I thought it was probably just some more construction somewhere, and assumed the breeze from the fan was causing the movement overhead. Guess I was wrong.
A few hours later, I was back in my classroom, feeling pretty spaced out. (the end of the day, florescent lights, whatever.) It was one of those rare times when I was seated at a table, correcting papers, while my students were in groups writing a story.)
All of a sudden, the room began to roll. Shit! I thought vertigo attack! But I immediately noticed that the students had stopped talking and were looking around the room.
“What’s that?” asked one, to which I quickly replied, Earthquake. As I said, I was not feeling 100%, so just road out the rolling of the room, calmly telling people to sit down, that it was all right.
Was I nuts! Where was all that California earthquake training? Why hadn’t I instructed them to get under the tables? Possibly because I am used to your everyday, fast-jolt-it’s-over quake, and figured that is what it was. However, this was not a fast one. It seemed to go on and on. I stayed seated and asked if it was over, still not convinced it wasn't a vertigo attack, or that the shaking had induced one.
Once again, after class, earthquakes were the topic of conversation among teachers. “I’m from California”, was the response from about four of us. One guy from England looked a little green. “You Americans may be used to it, but I didn’t like it. I thought I was going to throw up.” Another first-timer said it was as if she’d been drinking beer all night then smoked a joint. And just for the record, I did not like it at all!
Hopefully, that will be the end of the shaking. At least that will be my mind set. I live on the 7th floor, and I don’t fully trust the construction standards here.
Gee, and I was going to write about Bird Flu. That will have to wait for another day. Enough scary vibes for one day.
Rock and Roll is here to stay.
Kate
