Beside My Bed

Here in earthquake country the chances of “the Big One” hitting are greater every day. My particular concern is that it will happen at night, making things far more scary and dangerous. One thing I’ve done to set my mind at ease is to create a little emergency stash right next to the bed.

What’s missing?

My bedside chest has the space on top for a lamp, a couple of books, and an alarm clock. (These days, that’s my phone.) It also has a water bottle and my glasses. And whatever else gets piled there temporarily. Sound familiar?

In a real temblor, that table is likely to tip over and crash. The lamp will break, my glasses could break, and the phone will slip down and likely be lost, at least for a while, in whatever pile of stuff it lands in.

And all this will be in the pitch black!

As a simple precaution I have taken the time to pack, inside that same chest, just a few important items to carry me through the first minutes after the earthquake.

Here’s what I have so far:

* A pair of heavy shoes, and inside the shoes

* Socks

* Flashlight

* An extra pair of glasses in a hard case

At least I won’t be trapped, barefoot and blind, in the immediate aftermath!

I expect you could put together the same simple package beside your bed, too. I’m sure you’ll feel better once it’s done.

P.S. As I took this picture, I realized that I‘ve forgotten one simple thing in my bedside stash.  Gloves!  I’m putting them in right now!