Gainous was sitting in his easy chair, watching TV one hot, muggy summer night. His favorite comedy show was on and he was just about to get up during a commercial and put some pizza rolls into the microwave. Then POP - the power went off. “Derned transformer. Them squirrels probably got up in there again,” he mumbled as he searched for a candle. At first, the whole thing was kind of exciting. He poked his head out and saw all of his neighbors on their porches or standing out on the sidewalk. Several flashlights bobbed in and out of driveways and and around porches.
“You call the ‘lectric company?” asked Gerald, his next door neighbor.
“Shoot - I can’t. All I got is a cell that’s outa juice,” he replied.
“Well, the lights will probably come back on in a minute,” said Gerald without any conviction in his voice. By the time an hour passed, most everyone had gone back inside, lit their candles, and opened up their windows to let in the breeze. So Gainous went back inside and sat down in his easy chair and stared at the blank screen on his television.
In a few minutes, he realized that it was getting very, very hot in there. Sweat was popping out all over, so he picked up a magazine to fan himself with. “Why does it always have to go off in the summertime when it’s so hot? And why does it always have to go off in the middle of my program? Ten minutes more and I would have got to see, the end of it. Now I’ll never know how it turned out!” he grumbled. About that time, there came a knock at the door.
“You got ‘electric or gas stove?” asked Gerald, who was holding out a pot full of half-done chicken and dumplings.
“Shoot - all’s I got is a microwave. You know I can’t cook!” explained Gainous, sadly sniffing the aroma of chicken.
“Why don’t you open up some windows? It’s hotter than a tin outhouse in here,” exclaimed Gerald as he fanned himself in the doorway.
“Can’t. Nailed them shut to keep the air-conditioning in,” said Gainous.
“I hear they got lights on the other side of town. It’s just our end without ‘lectricity.” Gerald mentioned as he headed down the steps.
“Wait a minute. You got one of them regular phones, don’t you?” hollered Gainus.
“I figured you’d wanta be callin’ Wilbur about now,” grinned Gerald.
Wilbur was Gainus’s boy, who lived in a great big, rambling ranch house on the other side of town. And it had a guest room with a wide screen TV. “This here blackout might turn out to be a blessin’. They even got satellite dish over there!” exclaimed Gainus happily as he picked up the telephone.
While they waited for Wilbur to get there, Gainus and Gerald sat out on the porch and talked a while. “Got my new ‘lectric shaver and toothbrush in the bag here," Gainus said.
“Ain’t you scared them things are gonna ‘lectrocute you? I heard about some man who got that ‘lectric toothbrush stuck up in there and couldn’t get it out. Some of them wires got scrambled up and the ‘lectric shot up into his head. By the time they found him, all of his fillings were melted,” scowled Gerald.
About that time, Wilbur pulled up. “Dad! How long have you been without electricity?” he asked as he took Gainus’s bag to the car.
“Shoot, I can’t remember,” replied Gainus, who was still wondering what happened in his favorite television show when the power went out.
“I’m afraid you’ll have to do with fried pork chops tonight. Our electric grill is on the blink., mentioned Wilbur as they pulled off.
“You young folks are just spoiled rotten with all these modern conveniences they got now,” scolded Gainus, as he reached over and turned the air-conditioner up on high.
