A couple three weeks ago, the electricity went out at work … it was about noon-ish or so when the power went off so I decided it was a really good time to go to lunch. I expected the electricity to be back on and working when I got back from lunch. It wasn’t. In our building, when all the lights go off … there is no light in the bathroom! There are emergency lights in the hallway but none in the bathroom. I have two windows in my office so that is not a problem – if I had a laptop computer (which I do not) I would be able to continue working until the batteries quit because I could see to work quite well at my desk.
I do not have a flashlight at work … no candles … no battery powered light bulb … and at that time … no key chain light on my keyring. A co-worker had a key chain light though and I borrowed hers so I could go to the bathroom – the lights were out for about three hours that day. I thought how handy this is – I need to get one – having a flashlight at work would be a good thing … I put it on my “check into this one of these days” mental list.
I was sitting here at home that evening playing my PSP (The Legend of Heroes II: Prophecy of the Moonlight Witch for anyone interested – I just finished the game this last week!) when inspiration touched me! When I bought the PSP, I had also bought one of those packs with accessory stuff for it and in it – a case, a USB cable, a carrying strap, a key chain …. and guess what – the key chain was one of those with a light! I didn’t even realize until I looked at it that it had a light! I put it on my key ring and I now had a light for at work in case the electricity goes off again and I need a light to go to the bathroom.
Last week, on Tuesday, part of the electricity was off at our building at 6 AM – it didn’t come on until after 9:30 AM – the network servers were down but we had lights in the bathroom! So I didn’t need my key chain light that day after all … but what a comfort it was to have it be there – when I arrived, (I drive an hour to work and drinking morning coffee … I need to stop at the bathroom when I arrive) I expected the lights to be off in the bathroom again and I was so relieved that I had my own key chain light – my co-worker who has one does not arrive until 9 AM and I get there a bit before 8 AM.
Lots of technology that I see, I can think of no use for it at all in my life until something like this happens. I park in the garage at home so I do not generally need a key chain light at night to use to be able to unlock my door at night … BUT … after putting it on my key ring for work … I thought about the fact I would need it if the electricity went out at home in the dark and the garage door opener didn’t work … then again I would be greatful to have it there for an emergency. I would not be fumbling around trying to get into the house to take care of Miss Sugar Plum and grumbling about being in the dark, the inconvenienc, the difficulty of getting the key in the lock and wishing I had been more prepared for something like this to happen. AND I would not have to be fumbling around in the dark in the house getting to the kitchen where the flashlight is at either!
I do not always have panic attacks about being in the dark (I get claustrophobia about being inside a room or building in the dark which can bring on a panic attack my reasons Clowns – Hate Them or Love Them? towards the bottom of the page – a phobia of any kind is not fun and it can be a nightmare in your life) – I never know in advance if I will have a panic attack or not (how rude of them not to schedule themselves when it is convenient for me – OH – never would be convenient) … so this gives me a lot of comfort that I won’t have to be in the total dark if the power goes off some night with me not being home.
