earthquake!

I was in the play area of McDonald's, and had to inform the other moms what was happening, since they had never felt anything like it before. They started to panick... but I calmly suggested that we ask the kids to come down from the rickety tower of tunnels 20 feet in the air, just in case. And although it lasted about 20-30 seconds, it had stopped before the kids even considered coming down. That's when I looked out the window and saw 15 men evacuate the McDonald's restaurant yesterday after the 5.8 earthquake was felt here in Richmond. And when I say "evacuate", I mean "running and looking both ways, and even towards the sky, with hands over their heads, literally fear-stricken".

Shortly afterwards you could hear people on cell phones, each giving their personal experience with the quake, confirming that "yes, that really was an earthquake."

After my kids had had their fill of romping in the tunnels above, we went to Walmart. I pulled into the parking lot and spotted a black SUV complete with flashing red/blue lights, and immediately started looking for Jack Bauer. Then I noticed several congergations of people standing around talking, along with 2 Walmart employees posted at each entrance. My first thought was that maybe there was an undercover, highly volitile, armed sting operation going on inside. (too many crime shows, I know)

Josh commented that it might have something to do with the earthquake, but I couldn't imagine what. So I got out of my car, only to have a hysteric woman run over and tell me that there was glass shattered everywhere and they had to close down Walmart. "Beacuse of the earthquake!!!!" she screamed! "We were inside during the earthquake and stuff was flying everywhere!... and it grabbed me with it's laser-vision and shook me like a dog!" (that last part was added for dramatic effect!)

She was a little overdramatic for my taste... but it was entertaining. Especially since she was just slightly more sophisticated then those people they enterview on the local news after a natural disaster. You know the type... curlers in their hair, sporting a ratty moo-moo, all while screaming, "It was Pandamonium, I tell you!...pure pandamonium!!!"

So I got back in the car and drove to Kroger. Things were definitely a little more calm there, but not near as satisfying as the Walmart and McDonald's drama! See, that's why I like to go there. You can't get that kind of entertainment just anywhere you know!

But all the drama and joking aside, earthquakes like that don't happen very often out here. It's kind of like snow... we just don't see it much! So people get scared. And in their defense, apparently there was some damage after yesterday's "small" earthquake. This photo was taken at a school very close to the "location". And thankfully, no one was injured from the earthquake.


And if you're like me, and find yourself making fun of all these "inexperienced earthquake survivors"... check out this article and find out more details about why this seemingly small earthquake had such an impact. I actually learned something today.
http://articles.courant.com/2011-08-23/news/hc-earthquake-0824-20110823_1_earthquake-reports-of-minor-damage-john-ebel