Earthquake

Being an Angeleno means accepting certain facts about LA life such as, never ending traffic, the perpetual smog, and of course earthquakes. Although I've lived through a major earthquake (6.1 magnitude) I am still woefully unprepared for any earthquake let alone the Big One. Yesterday's earthquake reminded me, as well as all of LA, about this fact.

Summer in Southern California means minimal clothing. Summer in my un-air conditioned house means practically no clothing. During my vacation I'm accustomed to lounging around the house in my underwear while doing household chores. Yet yesterday's 5.4 event made me question this practice. While washing the dishes at 11:42, the first wave of the earthquake struck. At first I thought a large truck was driving by but by the time the second wave rolled around and the house began to sway back and forth I knew it was an earthquake. I ran quickly to a doorway since I remembered once being told that it was the most structurally sound part of a house. Yet the doorway's back and forth motion didn't inspire much confidence and I decided to run for it. Since my hands were wet the knob to my front door wouldn't turn. I finally opened it with my t-shirt and leaped out onto my front porch... in my underwear. In plain sight of the construction workers building my neighbor's fence. The shaking had stopped but I was too nervous to go dress so I grabbed a towel. And there I stood on my front porch wrapped in a towel. I tried to hide behind my screen door but the damage had been done. I now wear clothing at all times of the day. In. The. Heat. I even think about what pajamas I’d like to be seen in case another earthquake strikes at night. That flimsy camisole is out. Pants have now been re-prioritized to the top of the list of the usual earthquake kit requisites. I never thought earthquakes would influence my clothing choices or lack of. Of course, it doesn't help when every single channel has been describing LA as a bowl of Jello and citing all statistics that point to the Big One occuring anytime from now to the next 30 years. Still when the next earthquake does hit LA, I'll be ready. With pants.