Beth
By the time I made it outside Pennsylvania Station on 34th Street it was a freak show. Hundreds of people, trying to leave the city, were stopped by heavily armed guards at every entrance. It seemed as if Madison Square Garden had exploded and Barnum Bailey Circus was in full swing. People shouted,
"My mother's in the hospital! I need to go home!"
"Can we take the bus?"
"My kid's birthday party starts in an hour! Is this some sorta joke?"
"It's my dad's funeral. I can't miss it--I'm giving the eulogy for God's sake!"
No matter the objection the military police didn't budge and they didn't answer. More officers were brought in with clear plastic shields and shoved the crowds back with black batons. When they threatened the crowds with tear gas I briskly walked away. I haven't had an asthma attack in four years and didn't want to break the streak.
As I walked downtown toward Jo's apartment I tried calling her and Amy. Both phones went directly to voicemail. I muttered, "AT&T's service stinks in the Big Rotten Apple." Then I smiled. In the middle of chaos I'd made a joke. Then I called Meg.
She picked up.
Meg: Hello?
Me: It's Beth. Something's wrong.
Meg: What is it? Dad?
Me: No... I can't leave the city.
Meg: What? Why?
Me: I tried to get to The Long Island Rail Road at Penn Station but it's--
Meg:--It's what Beth?
Me: It's closed. No one can leave the city.
Meg: That's crazy! Maybe there's been an accident on the rails or something. Have you talked to Jo?
Me: I'm heading to her new apartment now. Call me if you make it to Lindenhurst. And Meg...
Meg: Yeah?
Me: You and Rory, be careful.
Meg: We're about to cross the Throgs Neck Bridge. It's taking six hours to get this far when normally it takes about three. There's so much traffic. I've never seen anything like it.
Me: Is there another route you can take to get on the Island?
I hear Meg speaking to Rory.
Meg: No... he says we need to sit tight. Maybe it's construction or a bad accident. Hold on Beth... an officer is walking down the lanes of traffic.
I can hear the muffled voice of a police officer over the phone. "Folks, The Throgs Neck Bridge is closed. Please follow the detour." Then I hear horns honking and people shouting as the line goes dead.
Me: Meg? Are you still there? Meg!
I hit redial but Meg's line went directly to voicemail. It's as if the cell towers were down. I needed a landline. Who has a landline these days? Aunt Catherine and Uncle Jerry that's who. I hurried to Jo's apartment and hoped against hope one of her roommates were hope and they had access to a landline.