The Night the Lights Went Out

Walking home from Kafe Neo after a fund dinner with Clark and mutual friend Brian, no sooner were we across the street from the neon art-deconess of the Art Theatre when all the streetlights blacked out. Traffic lights, street lamps, some businesses and apartment buildings -- all dark. The theatre, however, still glowed its blue neon and blinding white marquee, as did a few of the shops. It felt apocalyptic crossing from corner to corner using only the headlights of cross traffic to show us the way, turning down the darkened street, listening to the chatter of voices discussing the black out or calling friends/family on cell phones.

Our apartment ended up a victim of the blackout so we lit candles and hung out on the couch, looking at the lit buildings closer to the beach, talking until the power returned.