Page 9 - Winter 2024 Bulletin

Editor’s Page
When the going gets tough, well, you know the rest.
David Lubin, MD dajalu@aol.com
I don’t consider myself a religious person. I was Bar Mitzvahed in 1960 and confirmed the year after. But since my early teens, I can’t say that I’ve practiced my Judaism much. I’ve been to synagogue a few times since then, during the high holy days, and we light candles during Hanukah. Well, not real candles, but we add a glass flame to the brass menorah ev-
ery night. We make matzo ball soup and Elke makes a deli- cious noodle kugel during the holidays, but I’m not sure that counts much towards practicing your religion.
But I think I’d like to believe in “something.” I often thank God for sparing us during a storm, and then send a check to the Red Cross to further secure our safety. My Bar Mitzvah in 1960 was interrupted by Hurricane Donna and postponed a week, and then Hurricane Betsy followed me and my par- ents on our way to New Orleans when I became a Green Wave freshman at Tulane in 1965.
We’ve had close calls in Tampa since I’ve lived here, and when the storms go just north or south of us, I’d like to be- lieve that it was divine intervention, but I’m beginning to think that these monsters have brains of their own.
I bought hurricane windows six years ago, except for the two sets of sliding doors and the kitchen, all facing north and the pool deck, so I feel those are a bit less vulnerable. But we did board them up, using 1/8 inch plywood, with heated discussions on how to exactly do it, expecting a nearby, if not, direct landfall from Milton.
Elke’s daughter, Samantha, and her boyfriend Andrew, along with their two cats, came over Wednesday, the day it was to make landfall. Thankfully, they didn’t bring their 5 chickens.
On the night of the storm, even though we didn’t lose power, and we didn’t hear it, my neighbor’s 50-foot oak fell. I believe it fell due to the strong northerly winds at the back of Milton, so it fell south, into the street and missed mine and my neighbor’s house and any cars around. Divine interven- tion? It was, however, blocking the street, which is a track- like street around a rectangular neighborhood, so there was no blockage of access to anyone’s house. The mailman would just have to double back, but garbage trucks, when pick-up
HCMA BULLETIN, Vol 70, No. 3 – Winter 2024
resumed, would not be able to make it through.
On Friday, Elke and Samantha left for Atlanta late in the afternoon, having planned a trip to Elke’s brother’s for Chalktoberfest. They were to return Monday evening. Ear- lier in the day, I met my daughter, Leah, halfway between our house and hers in Lutz. With her power being out, I picked up her frozen food and gave her a couple of bags of ice and freezer packs. A car pulled up and the lady driving, with a couple of passengers, asked where she could get some ice. I told them that it was mine and that I was giving it to Leah. They were so disappointed. But then Leah gave them one bag of ice. I’ve never seen people so thankful for a simple act of kindness. Later, Andrew and I picked up pizza and were set- tling in to watch the Lightning game when the power went out at 6 PM. Ouch. Leah’s power went back on Friday night, and I would meet her the next day and retrieve my ice and freezer packs.
While driving up and down Dale Mabry on Friday there were several traffic lights out. I hope you know, that by law, the intersections then become 4-way stops...to most people. But some don’t think the “law” applies to them. I found that even though you could see most cars stopping, there were violators, and they were usually SUVs or pick-up trucks. Nothing personal to those of you who drive those...just an observation, not a scientific study.
The next morning there was a Hillsborough County sher- iff deputy in front of my house. He told us that he had a bunch of “redneck guys” from S. Florida who would cut the tree up for us. I thought he meant some vagabond landscap- ing crew looking for business. About half an hour later, five Brevard County sheriff deputies from the Marine and K-9 divisions showed up with chain saws and within an hour had cleared the street. They refused the cash we offered. Truly our Leighton Drive Heroes. Later I would collect over $800 to send to the Brevard County Public Safety Charity.
So, we were confronted with a bunch of minor incon- veniences, but thankfully nothing major. I had to reset our house alarm, there were a few torn pool enclosure screen panels, and I eventually decided to remove the boards from the back windows since the odds of getting another late sea- son storm is minimal. But I’m going to get the fabric covers for those windows, rather than us installing the boards in the future. It’s one of those joint projects that can jeopardize
a marriage. (continued) 9