Lesson from Evacuation Night

Evacuation confusion was flowing through every one of my digital devices – do we go, do we not? Wind and ash blowing full throttle outside. I stepped out onto my Oak Park balcony to see the hill directly behind me with a small patch on fire. I went into motion packing up myself and waking up a sound asleep 70-year-old neighbor and her dog to make sure she was out. I banged on the door like the police doing a drug bust in south Chicago. Sleepy and scared she slowly answered. I took a breath to say the words emergency – fire – evacuation but I was too slow. My other 70+ year old neighbor – transplanted from New York was also evacuating – yells over my shoulder, “THE HILLS ARE ON FIRE, GET YOUR PANTS ON, GRAB YOUR PURSE AND LET’S GO DAMMIT!”
Well… not the way I planned that, but it was effective!
My sleepy neighbor scurried like a church mouse after cheese, tripping over her dog, her own feet and got her stuff that I had helped her pack. Got her daughter on the phone, got her and her three-legged dog into the car and away they went. I packed myself, got out – not giving that incident another thought.
Upon coming back home, I ran into my neighbor and her cute dog, who I usually say hello to – then be on my way. Not this time. She hugged me like only a grandma can and said thank you – thank you – thank you over and over. I hugged her back wondering why she was half crying. “You saved my life,” she said, “knocking on the door, goodness thank you – I would have slept through the whole thing – thank you!” And she hugged my neck tighter.
I had no idea a simple check and knock mattered so much to my little grandma neighbor. I didn’t realize…well A LOT. I didn’t realize A LOT.
I was the unknown blind – but never again, I hope. Now, I see, EXTREMELY thankful for the structure-home-miracle that was mine to return to. A whole new world that came out of the black.
Halleluah.

Yvette G.