Seventeen Days Without Power: Who Is the Link to the Island?
That person speaks the language, knows the people and understands how things are done.
Picture a couple named Paula and Walter. They bought a small house on a Caribbean island because Paula had grown up visiting a relative there. She knows the shopkeeper, the mechanic and the neighbor with the generator. Walter knows how to read a map and pour a good coffee. Then a big storm arrives, the lights go out, and they stay out.
I read one account of a person who went seventeen days without power after a hurricane. The feeling that came through was shaken. Not dramatic, just tired and unsure. Things that were easy before became jobs: finding water, keeping food, charging a phone, getting news.
Why one spouse is often the link
In many couples I read about, one person is the bridge to the place. That person speaks the language, knows the people and understands how things are done. It works well in good weather. The risk, I think, is that the other person depends on the bridge without noticing.
If the link is away, or unwell, or just worn out, the other spouse may be left with no one to call. That is true on any island, but it is sharper where the roads, the power and the shops may all stop at once.
What the island teaches
An island is a small place with a long supply chain. When a storm hits, help depends on neighbors first. Having a friend who is not your spouse matters.
I believe a few things make a difference:
- Two people who can handle the practical side. If one only knows how to ask for help, a gap opens.
- A circle of at least one neighbor each. Not just the husband's friend or the wife's cousin.
- Simple supplies kept ready. Water, light, a battery, a plan for where to go.
None of this needs to be elaborate. It is about not leaving one person as the single door.
It is also worth saying that the person who is the link carries a heavy load. They are the one everyone turns to. Sharing that load is kind to both of you.
A moment at the table
"Who did you call?" Walter asked.
"Mrs. Alvarez," Paula said. "She had a generator."
"I don't have her number."
"I know. I should have shared it."
"Or I should have asked."
You could…
- Trade phone numbers of the people each of you relies on.
- Walk through a long outage together on paper, and list what you would need.
- Meet one neighbor of your own this month.
- Ask islanders you meet what they do when the power goes out, and listen closely.
If the lights went out for two weeks tomorrow, who would you call first?
Tell us in the comments