Cars and strip malls. You can smell it when you park up in front of the credit union, Margeritas To Go, Chipotle, Sonic, Taco Bell and on. There they are, spewing out fast food exhaust as you park in front of the bank. Hey, I'm not judging but it was weird to venture into suburban DFW metrosprawl today.
This, I thought to myself, is how most people live here. Good, bad, indifferent? I don't know, but what I do know is that all it'd take would be one big tornado to strip it all to the ground. Great would be the faux adobe of its fall. But the wind didn't rise, much, and I35 back to the Compound was mercifully clear, result.
Now, food for thought. When everything gets nasty and money, water and food don't work, how are you going to get out of the cities? Will FEMA or the Army help you? Perhaps the apocalypse elves will spring into action and save everyone. Or not.
Here in this rural haven we're cleaning weapons, throwing last year's furniture in the fire, banking crypto and loading mags.
Your Pal,
LSP
Yep, far enough away to be out of the 'direct blast' zone of the metromess...
ReplyDeleteLooking at history, things will probably be wretched and ugly.
ReplyDeleteAnd this is why you need a margarita to go so it helps you deal with the sprawl and strip malls and the shops selling pink wigs.
ReplyDeleteJust buy two big wolves and have a resting bitch face. It can get as nasty as it wants.
My wife and I lived in Grand Prairie five years and had two of our three kids at home. In 1981 I took a fulltime job with a Texas National Guard infantry company in Sulphur Springs. In the early '80s, news stories talked of evacuation plans should a Russian attack appear imminent. Dallasites were to go west or southeast on I20, south on I35 or I45, east on I30. Presumably, Dallas had been gridded, with each grid given an interstate evacuation route. Typical government bureaucracy. "Here is the plan." Everybody would remain calm and follow orders and evacuate in a calm manner. No cars or trucks would break down. There would be no traffic jams. All citizens from North Dallas, East Dallas, South Dallas would work together and ensure a smooth evacuation. And all vehicles would have full gas tanks when the plan was initiated. Those of us who lived 80, 100, 200 miles from Dallas would gladly integrate our assigned Dallasites into our towns and see to their needs. There are lots of pastures that far east of Dallas, so, you know, lots of places to park. Assuredly, similar plans exist today.
ReplyDeleteThomas Jefferson once said: “When we get piled upon one another in large cities, as in Europe, we shall become as corrupt as Europe."
ReplyDeleteWe're there, my little chickadees.
Sadly, have to go to "the valley" to have the windshield on the car replaced tomorrow.
ReplyDelete50 miles from the coast. I could be doing better things, and i hope they have a rental car. The home in the sticks is good. I need to test the generator. I need to get some fuel. There's always something to do. Just watch your six and keep yer powder dry.
Man, NFO, if it gets nasty... and I have family in the 'sprawl. Kyrie.
ReplyDeleteJules, RBF and "nasty as it wants"! Yes, terrifying. Then there's strip mall parking lots.
ReplyDeleteI can't argue, WSF.
ReplyDeleteSgt., you know it, I know it and, well anyone with any sense does too -- it'll be a catastrophe.
ReplyDeleteA smart person (ex Navy, oddly) said, "When you see lines go round the block for the ATM get outta town." He had/has a point, imo.
WWW, I can't and wouldn't argue with that for a moment.
ReplyDeleteBe careful out there, S.
ReplyDelete