By Ginny Kearney Allen

Kennebunk Resident

Years ago I had thought of penning an article titled “Cocktail Party Type Finds Herself Alone In The Woods.” At this time well over 30 years ago I was camping in a family camping section of a Boy Scout camp in New Hampshire. Jay was attending the camp and Jim was a helper. Brian was at Camp Fatima and Karen and Susan were at Camp Bernadette several miles away. What a wonderful opportunity for me to meet and greet other family members camping in the outskirts of the camp. Well. there were no other families. I asked if I could put up my tent next to the infirmary but I was denied. Some scouts assisted me in pitching the tent and there I was with my cooler and a hatchet which I kept close to my head just in case. I managed to stay for the time I had planned and the guy who was running the camp gave me credit. He had challenges me and I met the challenge.

The past few days I was given another golden opportunity. 

On Friday morning around 6:30 a.m. I woke to total darkness and a feeling of cold. Apparently the power had failed around 1 a.m. due to an ice storm. When I flew to the window and opened the sash I saw a wondrous sight of ice and a downed tree which had just missed my large windows and had not even hit the roof. If the car had been in its usual off winter space it might have been a goner. Went back to bed. What else to do. The car was locked in the garage and it was still icy and no time to take the pick-up truck and go to morning mass as I usually do. A friend called at around 8 a.m. to inquire of my status. At least the phone was working. This didn’t last for long. 

During the night I had decided that once again I would begin that diet, but why not, I ate the large remainder of the homemade chocolate cake with a tall glass of cold milk. My fireplace is usually all set to go so I lit the fire and prepared for the day. I have draped off my small living room so was able to heat the heat confined. With the light from the window I sat down to read all those articles I had been saving for a rainy day. Mission accomplished. All read. Brought in some more logs, shut off the water and opened the faucets to part of the house and hunkered in.

As a former Girl Scout and leader I prepared a delicious foil dinner of hamburg, onion, carrots and sweet potatoes. Put this double foil wrapped package on a brick off to the side of the fireplace and enjoyed it an hour and a half later. Since the refrigerator was warming up as was the freezer it was necessary for me to consume the remainder of the cheesecake and to have a gingerale float to finish off the ice cream so it would not melt all over the freezer. In doing this I inadvertantly left the freezer door ajar. No long term damage as the freezer was full.

As darkness was setting in I slid a double sized futon down the front stairs and set it up in front of the fireplace, took a sleeping pill and settled down by 6:30 for night with my cap on. Arose about every two hours to restoke the fire and drifted off to sleep easily. Was able to thank God for where I was as I was safe and fairly warm. The temperature never went below about 45 degrees.

On waking in the morning I decided on my usual routine of mass at the Monastery. The pick-up truck is an automatic so climbed up into the cab and drove off. They bought a generator at the Monastery a few years ago so it was warm. After a terrific breakfast with subdued lighting at the Port Bakery I meandered over to the Nonantum Resort to see if they were still going to have their planned craft fair. Wow was it warm in there and the people, especially Tim Ames, were even warmer. Came home to change in the cold house to a more appropriate and seasonal outfit and went back to spend the afternoon at the Nonantum. It was fun. Many of us were in the same state of no heat at home but there was no complaining or blaming. Some had had power return but others of us knew that large trees had fallen and it would take time. The outside temperature was below 29 degrees, I think.

Later in the afternoon I went to a Saturday evening mass at Holy Spirit Parish on Route 1 in Kennebunk. Again it was warm. Many of the people had power now. Earlier in the day I had packed a duffle bag just in the event that someone would offer me a warm bed for the night. After a fine dinner at Mc Donald’s I returned home to restart the fire. Kevin had arrived home in the middle of the afternoon, cut up the tree, and left me with a 20 degree below zero sleeping bag. He also checked that all the water was turned off and faucets all opened. It would have done no good for him to have stayed as there is only room for one in front of the fireplace. The heat that night never rose above 40 degrees and in the bathroom it was 35 degrees. Because of the sleeping bag and the sleeping pill I slept through about six hours. The fire went out at this time. The first night was an adventure but the second was not.

Up for mass and breakfast and the Nonantum again on Sunday then off to a movie and shopping. Never go to the movies but thoroughly enjoyed “Australia.” It was placed in the year 1939 which was the year I was born and there were many references to my favorite “The Wizard of Oz.”

At one time I stopped by the local police station to ask where there was emergency housing. They told me it was in Saco about 20 or so miles away. In the past I had believed that the Red Cross and the Fire department had opened either a fire station or a school for those in need. 

Arriving home from the movies I saw that the power had been returned. I turned on all the water at the intake valve and shut off all the running water. The heat came on but was still really low. The closed system heating system had overflowed into a bucket and all over the floor. There is anti freeze in this overflow. Will have to check it out later. 

Went back to the Monastery to thank God that all had worked out well then on to the bar at Federal Jack’s for a drink and dinner. The Patriots were winning and it was a fun time. All is well, I survived.

I do pose some questions, however.

I was alone in my own home and I have no really nearby neighbors. What if I had a problem? Who would know I needed help? What if I were unable to bring the wood in from outside or had no wood? In Kennebunkport I heard that some people put red flags on their mail boxes. Perhaps the front door would be better as some might not be able to get out in the slippery weather. My cell phone had died a couple of times but I was able to charge it in the Monastery and the Nonantum. What if I had no cell phone? 

I have belonged to a program i Kennebunk called SALT, a group of seniors and law enforcement working together. There was not much interest in the group so it fell by the wayside. I was one of the ones to let it fail as I was not willing to head it up.

It is very interesting that the book I am currently reading is about empathy. This ordeal of survival has taught me much and has also brought up so many questions that I am unable to answer. Will we as a community become more empathic? Will we house the homeless or give food to the hungry or will we just wish them well and be on your way and God bless? What are we afraid of?

Most of us don’t have to live this way all the time. Some do. We so often look the other way and make up stories about why people are where they are. With the cost of fuel and food and the problem with the stock market and mortgages and jobs, more people are going to be in dire circumstances. Get to know your neighbors. You don’t even have to like them, just know them.

Keep in touch more regularly with your family members. If a family has many children they can take turns calling their parents.

During this Christmas season go into your hearts and find the love that is there and offer it as a smile to all you meet. Greet each other. Find compassion and empathy. Let us return to the good old days when we were all friends.