Civic Center

Michele Laber

I was walking in Civic Center at 5:04pm. The earth became unstable and I felt as if I was surfing cement. Oddly, I was in front of City Hall and the Civic Center Park where all the homeless gathered. They started cheering and clapping which I found surreal. I knew it had been an earthquake but everyone seemed to continue walking to where they were going without saying anything…blank stares as we passed each other.

I walked to my school and the electricity was out. People were panicking. I started to walk home (Tendernob). The corner stores had lines stretching around the corners …people were loading up on supplies.

I will never forget the thickness of the air. It was still and thick. Sirens. Everywhere. Phones didn’t work. No TV.