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More tornado aftermath
Jun. 25th, 2011 02:22 pmLast night at dusk, I drove up Hollow Road, along US 20, and back down Route 19, getting my first look at tornado damage in Brimfield. It was sobering.
Today, after dropping off 3 large bags of garbage (over half of it the former contents of my fridge and freezer) at the Wales Transfer Station, I headed back up Hollow Road for a daytime look and an errand in Brimfield. Coming home, I turned up Haynes Hill Road.
OMG.
Being up close and personal made such a difference. All of the other tornado-damaged areas I'd driven along were main roads. Well. Hollow Road isn't, and it is shocking, but the damage along narrow little Haynes Hill Road brought tears to my eyes.
All along my drive, I kept wishing for a good camera even as I shuddered at the thought of stopping and taking pictures of the damage the tornado wrought on others. Today, it was all I could do to stop myself from coming home for a pair of work gloves and then returning to the crew of people working up on one of the destroyed properties on Hollow Road. I wanted to lend a helping hand for the day, to ease their burden direc. Only time is a gift I don't have to give right now. Not if Renovation is to have a Souvenir Book come the start of the Worldcon. Not if I am to retain a hope of fulfilling other commitments already made. So I drove on, and stayed home once I got here.
If I could create time out of whole cloth, I'd be there helping now. And I'd be taking pictures, too. Not so much of the damage, but of the signs. The hand-painted signs of thanks, the professionally printed banners hanging from damaged houses giving thanks for help received, the little lawn signs advertising construction services, roof repair, tree removal, and more. I cracked up at one hand spray-painted editorial sign at the end of a driveway along Route 19, right in the middle of the tornado's path:
Tornado vs. House 2011
House: 1
Tornado: 0
I marvel and celebrate the fact that in the midst of overwhelming destruction, so many of those affected are moved to spend their own stretched resources of time, energy, and money to make and post signs and banners expressing their thanks and communicating with all who pass by.
Today, after dropping off 3 large bags of garbage (over half of it the former contents of my fridge and freezer) at the Wales Transfer Station, I headed back up Hollow Road for a daytime look and an errand in Brimfield. Coming home, I turned up Haynes Hill Road.
OMG.
Being up close and personal made such a difference. All of the other tornado-damaged areas I'd driven along were main roads. Well. Hollow Road isn't, and it is shocking, but the damage along narrow little Haynes Hill Road brought tears to my eyes.
All along my drive, I kept wishing for a good camera even as I shuddered at the thought of stopping and taking pictures of the damage the tornado wrought on others. Today, it was all I could do to stop myself from coming home for a pair of work gloves and then returning to the crew of people working up on one of the destroyed properties on Hollow Road. I wanted to lend a helping hand for the day, to ease their burden direc. Only time is a gift I don't have to give right now. Not if Renovation is to have a Souvenir Book come the start of the Worldcon. Not if I am to retain a hope of fulfilling other commitments already made. So I drove on, and stayed home once I got here.
If I could create time out of whole cloth, I'd be there helping now. And I'd be taking pictures, too. Not so much of the damage, but of the signs. The hand-painted signs of thanks, the professionally printed banners hanging from damaged houses giving thanks for help received, the little lawn signs advertising construction services, roof repair, tree removal, and more. I cracked up at one hand spray-painted editorial sign at the end of a driveway along Route 19, right in the middle of the tornado's path:
Tornado vs. House 2011
House: 1
Tornado: 0
I marvel and celebrate the fact that in the midst of overwhelming destruction, so many of those affected are moved to spend their own stretched resources of time, energy, and money to make and post signs and banners expressing their thanks and communicating with all who pass by.
