Our first day of summer began with a bang -- literally -- when a manhole exploded directly in front of our bedroom window. (Harvey and I were quite shaken!) I spoke to a (hot) fireman outside who assured me that no one had been hurt, although the velocity of it all had caused his and his colleagues' hats to fly off their heads. (Apparently there was another incident on the corner of our block that they were already working on when the explosion happened.)
My internet immediately went out, so I was forced to go into the office -- something I typically avoid on Fridays. But the fun really started when I got home and the POWER decided to go out too, on this 90-degree dat.
The first couple of hours were bearable as the previously cooled room stayed tolerable. But Damian started to get antsy as the room got progressively warmer and estimated time of recovery got progressively farther. (ETA: 11 p.m.)
“Manhole Explosions 2” was better than the original
Our bodega cat was as alarmed as I was!
So to escape the heat -- power outage = no air conditioning -- we did what any sane New Yorkers would do: We fled to the cinema.
As you've likely gathered I am completely out of touch with pop culture, so had never heard of Yorgos Lanthimos, whose new film, “Kinds of Kindness,” was opening there that night. (Willem Dafoe was on hand and we heard Emma Stone had introduced the previous showing.) But it was the right film at the right time, so we took the plunge.
It's been several hours since it ended and I'm still not sure what I witnessed -- which I can only describe as “Tales From the Darkside” (1983-1988) meets “Wild Things" (1998) on steroids.
P.S. When we exited the theater I got a text from ConEd saying the power was now on track to be restored at 3 a.m., at which point I popped a Valium from my travel stash and called it a night.
When I awoke the A/C was back on and everything in the refrigerator seemed fine -- the ice cubes had never even melted.
But the explosion must’ve killed our modem, so I spent the first part of my day schlepping over to the Spectrum outlet to get a new one, so all is well on the lower Upper West Side of Manhattan!
5 comments:
VictorC-Glad the food in the fridge is fine. With the cost of food these days, one would have to take out a second mortgage to restock. Stay cool.
It's good that your Power Saga had a good, if not happy, ending. An extended lack of refrigeration, TV, and Internet in the city wouldn't have been any fun atoll.
Don't forget, when all goes south you still live in the wonder that is Manhattan!
What caused the manhole explosion? (Never thought I'd type that sentence).
@Jack: Never found out any details. I'm guessing it was heat related.
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