I mean this in the most PC way possible, but unless I was in Japan, I shouldn't have been affected by their tsunami in the way that I was. And I owe that honor to my mother. Granted, in hind sight and after much rest, her concern was appreciated. And thus begins the preface to my story.
Picture it...Long Beach...Thursday March 10, 2011. The calls and emails to my phone begin around 1am. It begins with the courtesy email "Hey Sapphire, an earthquake and tsunami just hit Japan."
2 am email: "Sapphire, are you watching the news?" (Why wouldn't I be? It was 2am on a week night. I only had to be up in 4 hours).
3am email: "Sapphire, are you watching the news? You never answered me. Send me a text that you got this. They say that waves are coming to the West Coast."
I wake up for the third time that night, and send her an acknowledgement text that I got her message, and I turned on the TV. I assume that this lack of sleep and being awoke every hour or so would be equivalent to having a newborn baby? I watched until 5am, and was just drifting back into a blissful sleep with dreams of Ryan Phillipe when she sent another email. This was my favorite.
Mom: "Sapphire, have you seen the news? A tsunami is headed directly towards Long Beach and Seal Beach (that seemed very specific). Get to higher ground. It'll be hitting around 7am."
I don't know if you've seen Armageddon or Deep Impact, but this email actually scared the shit out of me. I grabbed my makeup bag, and ran out the door. I ran to the back of my apartment building which was next to an inlet to the Pacific Ocean. The tide was low. Since I am a cornucopia of random knowledge, I knew that this could be the beginnings of a tsunami. Or simply a low tide. A total flip of the coin.
I walked out to my car and noticed all of the cars still parked along the street, but there wasn't a soul around. Were they still in bed? Had they already fled? Or was I just smarter than the rest? Was this my own Night of the Comet and I would be one of only a handful of survivors left? Would I turn crazy and befriend a volleyball named Wilson? Why is the sky blue? OK, now I'm just plain freaking out.
I wasn't sure how far inland I was supposed to go. The tidal wave in Deep Impact was huge, but I wasn't sure if I could make it to the Inland Empire, 45 minutes east, before being engulfed by waves. I settled on driving towards Long Beach State, which was 10 minutes east, but had an Einstein Bagels next to it. The world may be about to end, but I had a mocha ice blended on the mind. I pulled into the parking lot of the bagel shop, grabbed my makeup bag and purse, and went inside.
You know those dreams where you walk into a room and then you realize that you forgot to put your pants on? Or maybe you're completely naked? This was just like that...only it wasn't a dream. I really was standing inside of a chain bagel joint in snowflake pajamas with my makeup bag tucked under my arm like a freak, and I was being stared at by maybe 15 diners in suits and ties who were smart enough to realize that a tsunami was not about to wipe out our fragile little city that Snoop Dogg often pays homage to.
I bought my bagel and ice blended slice of heaven, and ate in my car. No way was I going to eat inside, I was too embarrassed. And I was exhausted. How could I possibly call in late to work, and explain my mother's neuroses to my boss without it sounding like a 'my dog ate my homework' kind of excuse?
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