Where Were YOU When it Happened?

Where Were YOU When it Happened?

I know that I’m a little late to this train and I know that everyone is beyond sick of hearing “Where were you when the Earthquake of 2011 happened??” But considering I was busy writing very recent stories I have had no chance to really write about my personal experience because I was, you guessed it, at Love Lips when it happened.

It was a lazy day and I was reading a book from the Library behind the Love Lips counter like just about every other day when I felt something under my feet move. I didn’t realize pay attention at first because we’re right next to a busy highway and I was too into the book I was reading. But then the bumpy feeling continued. Confused I looked at the floor wondering what the hell was going on. I could SEE the floor beneath my feet moving back and forth like the whole building was on a movable track and someone was pushing me from side to side. At first I thought maybe I was having vertigo and then I looked into the glass case in front of me and saw the Anal Ease and lubrications bouncing up and down in the case. I looked around in horror to find the ceiling was moving back and forth and it finally hit me. We were having an Earthquake! My mind did the mad rush of; this is Maryland! Maryland doesn’t get earthquakes! Where are you supposed to go during an earthquake? Wasn’t it the bathroom door frame? I always thought that sounded stupid. OH MY GOD WE’RE HAVING AN EARTHQUAKE! I saw people from the nail salon outside so I ran around the counter and outside and after I looked up at the moving building it stopped. Everyone was trying to call family on their cell phones and my hands were shaking as we all reassured one another we all felt the same thing and made sure everyone was OK. I didn’t go back inside for a good 10 minutes and just stood looking around to see if that was the last of it. I tried to call my family and fiancée but all the phone towers were down so it was hours before I got through to them. In between that time, I was worried sick about my parents who lived in an older house in Catonsville and my partner who was at an Animal Hospital (her job). But that sure as hell didn’t stop people from walking around like everything was normal. I actually had a regular customer come in; he was a very tall African American man who never really spoke tome except a grunt in acknowledgement when I said “hi” to him. While my regular guy was looking at magazines a skinny balding man walked in the store. “Hi, Welcome to Love Lips…if I can help you find anything—“

“Yeah, no thanks” He said tartly.

Already over emotional I just glared at his turned back then went back to trying to get a hold of my partner. After a few minutes I heard him said in an annoying whiney type voice, “Is this price correct?”

“Excuse me?” I put my phone down and focused on him completely and saw he was holding up a vibrator that was $24.94.

“Is this the actual price?” He said with a face that looked like he had just sucked on a lemon.

“Yes sir” Irritated I really wanted to say, No it’s fake, I just make up prices as I go along.

“Wow…It’s so much more expensive than the other ones…”

Which ones, ass-hat? Most of them are $20-$100 depending on how many buttons and functions it had. Besides, if it’s so much more expensive, get a cheaper one, maybe? “I’m sorry, sir, that’s the price on that particular vibrator, there are the Jelly Caribbean’s that are in the teens range.”’

He put the one he was holding back like it had battery acid on it and gave me a dirty look, “That’s still so expensive; you don’t have anything in this store that’s cheap?”

SERIOUSLY!? “We have a smaller vibrator that’s $8.95” I showed him which one I was talking about and he just made more faces.

“Ok, thanks….I think” He said as he left the store without a goodbye or thank you. I was beyond peeved and tried to hide it by making myself busy. I checked in with my regular guy and he was still looking through DVD’s when another portly man came in and went to look in the DVD section as well. He must’ve only looked for a god 3 minutes before he came to the register DVD in hand

“Did you feel that earthquake?” He said.

“Yup, I was sitting here thinking I had vertigo before it really registered that the entire building was moving like it was on some kind of track”

“Was that really a quake?” My regular guy said.

“Sure was” Said the portly man.

“Man, my friends and I were sitting in the back of a pick-up near a bridge and thought a big freight truck went over it”

“Glad you boys were OK. Myself, I do construction and we’re working on a building, so far all that’s up is 4 stories of metal. I was on the ground when I felt the Earth move and when I looked up the entire frame was swaying back and forth. I tell ya it was the scariest thing I ever did see, I thought the whole damned thing was gonna fall apart with my men on it and under it. There woulda been no way for anyone to get away from it if it fell”

I could hardly imagine what he saw- it was a terrifying thought, “That’s very scary! I’m glad it stayed intact…Did anyone get hurt?” I woulda peed myself if I had seen what he did.

“Yeah, everyone was OK but lemme tell you, I had barely felt it and I swear to God all the Mexican’s workin’ for me were NO WHERE to be seen when it started. Like damn dogs they are”

I laughed uncomfortably and finished ringing him up and my regular left without a word (as usual). That was an exciting day I will definitely never forget….So where were YOU during the Earthquake of 2011?