Been there - Done that: Earthquake 1989 San Francisco Bay Area
I was stationed at Fort Ord, CA (Monterey Bay) when the quake hit. I was driving a 1976 Sunbird that I called "Murray" and was on my way home when I noticed that "Murray" was swaying a bit and I thought, "Oh crap, Murray's alignment is out of whack!" Then I noticed people had pulled over the side of the road and were gathered as if they were watching a fire or something. Whatever. I kept driving to my trailer on post.
I felt Murray sway again and was preoccupied with the CO$T to have him fixed. I pull in and I see my neighbor's kid run up to my car screaming, "Hey Mister, Mister! Didja feel it!? The Big One! The big one hit and we're crashing into the ocean my dad said!" then he scampered away screaming "The BIG ONE,....the big one hit...."
Whatever, crazy kid's on crack already at 8 years old. Shame, really.
I walk into the trailer and all of the china and pictures and lamps and stuff were strewn across the trailer. First thing came to my mind was my CAT! She was a kitten but she was a NINJA Kitten! She got into everything all the time, her name was "Natasha, the Black Russian" but my wife just called her 'kitty'. I yelled, "KITTY!? Where arrrrrrrre you?"
I heard her meowing but it was more of a whimering mew than a meow. She was hiding under the couch. She was visibly shaken and clinged to me like kittens do with their tiny RAZOR sharp claws and of course my HEAD was the only safe place for her to go when I picked her up. OUCH!
I start picking up stuff and then turn the TV on,......nothing.........uh? So I continue to pick stuff up and I can still hear the neighbor boy outside. I finally get things all cleared up when my wife pulls in the driveway. She comes in all frazzled looking, "So, are we going back to Pittsburgh!?" she said.
Fast-Forward about 6 weeks. I had several months to go to finish my obligation in the Army so I stayed but sent her home back to Pittsburgh because she could NOT stand another tremmor. I moved back into the barracks where I had been before she moved out west.
For WEEKS we all felt those tremmors and it was errie to say the least.
Earthquake for 10 damage? I don't THINK so, they'll never be in MY decks!
