Earthquake - The ground shook yesterday. This was my first earthquake as a resident of the great state of California, and I think my fourth over all. I don't actually remember the first one, which happend in 1977, when I was on Long Island, happily breaking everything my parents owned. My mother tells me that I remember that quake, though all I actually remember is her telling me what happened, and then Elvis died. There was also a second one a couple years ago at the end of a particularly strage week in New York. These were both minor things, small events that were talked about for the next day and then mostly forgotten.

I'd always had these visions, though, of ever earthquake being an utter disaster. The ground opened and swallowed buildings. World Series games were cancelled. Zach had to deliver Mrs. & Mr. Belding's baby while trapped in an elevator.

But a couple of years ago, I was in San Diego visiting my father, and I woke up at three in the morning, with my bed shaking. It felt kind of nice actually. "Hmm. Must be an earthqu...snore." In the morning, over my Froot Loops, the guy on the news was talking something local, threw it over to the sports guy, who gave the scores and talked about a changes in the Padres' front office, and then gave it back to the anchor who said "And speaking of shakeups, the area was hit by a 3.2 earthquake last night..." No one cared.

Right after this rumbling, to me, some strong thunder, all of the TV stations broke into their talk shows news coverage. The Emergency Broadcast system came on. Richmond was told to shelter in place out of fear of some explosions. "This is serious," I thought. My first quake was a big one somewhere. Then I learned it was a 3.5, and located out in the East Bay somehwere. Still small.

This morning, the news was still fresh and people were talking about it in the cafe. "I was in Walgreens. Soup fell off the shelves," and "I was in the Broadway tunnel. There was almost an accident, where were you?"

I thought for a second. "I was walking up the stairs in my apartment."

Blink, blink. The woman sipped her coffee, turned her back to me, "I was really scared. Anyone need more coffee?"