It was a dark and stormy night when the power went out. Somehow, I knew the first storm would knock down the line. Why can’t National Grid take care of business before it becomes an emergency.? There’s at least one dead tree tangled in wires that no one will touch because of the wire, but no matter how many times I ask them to repair it, they always say yes — and never show up. Eight years after I first asked them to take it down, it’s still there. It’s an oak with deep roots, but sooner or later…

I stood with my head leaning on the refrigerator. The big, metal box was silent. Not a hum or a vibration came from his hulking presence. No little happy tune this night. The only sounds I could hear were the howling winds and the restless, waving oak trees. You might be surprised and how much a really big tree moves in a storm.

There was nothing I could do about any of it. Can’t control the weather OR the electric company.

Poor refrigerator. There it stands — covered with magnets, messages and events while we all for the power to return. Waiting and worrying. How long would this outage last? If I call the power company, they would tell me they “were working on it” and would “let me know” when it was fixed.

Don’t they think I’ll notice when the power comes back? Like when the lights work? And the computers and the well pump?

With tears of frustration on my cheeks, knowing all my food is in that fridge while we wait. Is my silent fridge crying too? Maybe the shadow knows, but he’s not talking.

Categories: black & white photography, Blackstone Valley, Photography, Rain, storms, Weather

Tags: dark and stormy night, Marilyn Armstrong, power company, storm warnings