On Saturday April 3, 2010 the space where I was living caught on fire. Andrew, myself and everyone else is fine. No one got hurt.
Before the incident occurred I was very sick (actually I'm still sick as I write this). My dad offered to come and take Andrew to the play ground so that I could rest. Andrew and I left the house around 5pm. I was not sure exactly what time my dad would come. At 3pm he was still uptown. I decided to go to the play ground to wait for him. As we neared the playground, I saw my dad coming from the direction of the train stairs. Perfect timing.
It was cool out so I offered to go back to my place to get my dad a wind breaker (jacket).
He had also brought me some 'Ital' food...
http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ital
...and avocados (which I was feeling too sick to eat). The plan was to put the food in the house, get the jacket (give it to my dad who was at the playground with Andrew) and then go to Goodbye Blue Monday http://www.goodbye-blue-monday.com/ to try out my laptop (free wi-fi!). I had wireless at home. It just happened to be the perfect tyme to try it out elsewhere.
While walking towards the house I called my cousin Janet to thank her for the backpack I was carrying. I had my laptop, the external drive, wireless card and plugs in there and was telling her how perfectly they all fit. She gave it to me at my baby shower cuz get this...its insulated inside! Perfect back pack.
Since I had my laptop with me I also had all of my favorite disks, movies, computer stuff, and music. Upon returning home (to put away food and get my dads jacket) I saw one of my housemates leave the house followed by smoke and then I saw flames shooting out of my bedroom window. I could feel the heat from the 3rd floor while standing on the sidewalk near the house next door. At that point I had only been away for twenty minutes. Perfect tyming.
The first thing I did was to tell Janet what I saw, then I got off the phone and started looking for my house mates. When they were all accounted for (after the fire trucks came) I burst into tears.
It felt like I was watching a movie. There were 3 fire trucks on each end of the block to make 6 total. When the firemen walked from the end of the block towards the house it was as if they were walking in slow motion. It seemed like they were all on the same foot...army style...I'm sure it was my imagination...they were just walking together...there was at least 12 of them walking together...it was awe inspiring.
They climed from the fire truck on to the roof, hacked a hole in it and poured water (lots!) into my place (top floor). It was very obvious that the fire originated in my room as it was the only one that burned to a crisp. After that the firemen jumped down into the room and started throwing stuff out. The bed frame, filing cabinets, laptop and office chair...Every time they threw something new out of the window, I burst out into a fresh batch of tears...nooo not the silent kind. The kind that comes with sound.
A couple of times I had to sit on the sidewalk. I was already sick and weak from being ill. I sat on the ground for a bit and cried. I hugged my neighbors and cried some more...and I hugged my house mates and cried even more. It did not occur to me then that I was doing a lot of hugging or even that I was the one who started it (http://www.amma.org/) It just felt natural to cry in someones arms at a time like this. It just so happens that this was the tyme that 'someone' happened to be a whole lot of people!
At one point I could not take it anymore. They had knocked out the walls. The neighbors and everyone standing in front of the house could see all the firemen inside throwing things out and putting out the fire. The last flame was in the wall. Someone had to break the wall down to put that one out.
I felt like a piece of tissue paper...weak and light like I was going to crumple up or blow away at any minute. I was freezing. People saw how much I was devastated and started to turn me away...telling me to not look anymore. I decided I needed some coffee. Perfect tyming.
I went to Goodbye Blue Monday. I Got a large coffee, a flash light, and a metal stick. One of my best mates Mel.E (girl) came to my rescue with some garbage bags and bandannas for our faces. I went to her place to lay down. I was so exhausted (which is why my dad came to get Andrew in the first place). She gave me a plate with a donut and a champagne glass with milk. It looked so great that I wanted to take a picture of it! I was too sick to eat but I took a pinch of the donut and then put it in the bag with the food my dad had brought me (it never made it to the fridge remember!). Right as I was about to lay down my cell rang. Fire Martial. On my way. Perfect tyming.
It was my first time going inside. Thank God Mel was with me. She saved my sanity. My breath went out of my body. I could barely breathe. I was gasping for air like someone had put me in tank with no oxygen. I was breathing really heavy...not asthmatic...but very disjointed and with odd spacing and clusters...a breath here...3 breaths there...another one over here...way after I should have breathed...definitely invoulentary subconscious breath holding involved.
I walked up the stairs. Water everywhere...the smell was more than burnt...it was C02 or whatever they put in the water and fire extinguishers to put fire out. A chemical smell mixed with the burnt smell and the wet smell. I got to my room door and I could see out side. There was nothing left except for a silver box in which I kept my spiritual items including items blessed by and worn by Amma (http://www.amritapuri.org/). I wondered why the fire guys did not throw that out of the window with the other stuff. It was the only thing in the room for me to get. Everything else was either charred to dust or out the window already...furniture...everything (warning: I may use the word everything quite a bit in this article).
I was looking at 3 solid walls, the fourth had a hole the size of Texas in it and the ceiling had a hole that I never looked at ...maybe a glance. I picked up the silver box (which was open) and went to the kitchen. Past the kitchen I saw Andrews bike with some laundry I had planned to take to the mat. There was also his stroller. Thank God Mel was with me and got the stroller and bike.
I went to the refrigerator and got a gallon of apple juice out (it was still cold) then to the bathroom where I got my tweezers, toothpaste and some make up (i ain't no fool!). Then the breathing thing started again. It was all too much. I felt weak. I had the silver box, the gallon of apple juice and my housemate was helping with the laundry bags. Mel had the bike and the stroller. That was all I could manage. That was all there was left to get out. I had no strength to pick through the stuff out front. The pieces of wall and metal on top were too heavy as was my heart.
At some point in all of this I got my fire fans and gave them to Mel. I knew where they were and I knew they survived the fire...the are made out of titanium...the same stuff Harley engines are made out of...theres no way those things could burn...and they didn't! At $75 each I was not about to walk out of there without them so I took my metal rod and looked for other metal under the ruble...found them immediately...a few got bent up with only one of the 10 nylon wicks unravelled a little...totally fixable...I think!?
I told the fire martial exactly how much fuel I had. Of course the can was in there and did not burn, bend or melt. There was not much left in there since I just did a bunch of performances...it was definitely less than half way full.
Out side in front of the house underneath all the pieces of wall that came down are some things. I don't know exactly what things...they are buried under pieces of wall. Maybe clothes, definitely my 2 fire proof file cabinets. What I want to look for most is a green hard suitcase with photos that was on the very top of the closet by the window. Maybe they got there in time to throw it out of the window before everything inside could burn. Maybe a photo or two out of 400 made it. I will go back with my mom to see if I can spot the green suitcase. I know there is a good chance that everything will be in a giant demolition dumpster or not there at all.
After we got all my bags to the Red Cross van, Mel and I went back to Goodbye Blue Monday to return the flash light and metal rod (Thanks Reginald!). I left the big stuff at Mel's place and went back to sit in the Red Cross van were it was difficult to stay awake (It was almost midnight at this point).
The Red Cross guys were awesome. I told them if my son grew up to do for people what they were doing for me, I would be real proud of him. I was in and out of sleep sitting up with the blanket on while they were putting data into the computer. I would wake up here and there to answer questions.
My friend Swati called. I wasn't even able to tell her what happened. I had told the story so many times in the 6 hours prior. I was exhausted. When someone at "Monday's" asked me about it (when I was getting the flash light) I looked at a friend and said 'you tell him'. I was not up for re-living the whole thing by telling the story a thousand times...not at that particular moment anyway. That is just one of the reasons why I am writing this blog.
The Red Cross van took me to a hotel in Brooklyn (where I am writing this). Reverend Billy and Shanti were first responders. They came with clothes and money so I could wash what I had and get food and basics. It was so nice to see some familiar faces. Savitry (Rev Billy's wife) put some nice smelling lotion and aroma therapy oil in there. That was freakin genius on her part. It did not occur to me that my hair and clothes and everything else had this horrible chemical-watery-burnt smell. After that smell and all that I went through, perfumed lotion was heaven.
I had already finished a load of laundry when Rev.Billy and Shanti arrived. I put deodorizer, laundry soap and fabric softener in the wash and...I got the smell out! I had to wash my hair twice. I got Lysol wipes which got the smell off of everything else. The Red Cross gave me some odor neutralizer stuff. Not worried about the smell anymore.
Red Cross paid for one day at the hotel and thanks to Shanti I have another day...
Updates...
I will add up dated info when I can. Feel free to check back here (scroll to bottom for updates).
If you would like to donate to us (now is a good tyme) click the button below:
This donate button should work now. I can also receive donations on pay pal www.paypal.com. All that is needed to send to my account is my email address susannahpryce@gmail.com .
If you would like to show your support in other ways here are some choices:
My mom sells Monaive. Instead of getting a multi-vitamin try monavie. If you already drink monavie, buy it from my mom's site instead of from the regular website. Here's the link: http://www.mymonavie.com/winsome
When I return from Florida I will resume teaching yoga (for donations) at GoodBye Blue Monday. Every Thursday at 2:30pm begining May 20th (not set in stone yet). Please email me if you are interested in coming (susannahpryce@gmail.com). Purty Pleez: Use 'Yoga' as the subject. I may not be living in or near bushwick so I may have to travel in from somewhere to teach. It would be nice to know somone will be there to take the class! I also teach a custom style of Hatha in which the poses are geared towards what going on with everyone in the group. It would be great to know ya!
You can also support us by promoting the Thursday yoga class. The maximum is 6 people. You can post it on your Face-twit-my-mail-space-thingy or just word of mouth, mass email or any creative way you choose! Speak to me first as the tyme (or day!?) may change if there is a better tyme that works for folks who want to come regularly. I will have to clear the day and tyme again with the owner so please email me first (susannahpryce@gmail.com) with 'Yoga' in the subject line.
It is also tyme to resume the Monday night drum circle on May 17th (which is also for donations). It will probably be once a month this year. It is open to novice and experienced drummers. My two drums were destroyed in the fire, however there's stuff to bang on at GoodBye Blue Monday so Im not worried about that. There's also the house drums and friends with drums I can borrow (if you are one of them please remind me!). Donating and actual drum is also welcome. My vision is to have a cirle of drummers that begin on stage and extend into the audience. The full circle will connect audience drummers and stage drummers...the goal is to have no audience! Everyone drumming! If you would like to donate your time or services to the drum circle email me(susannahpryce@gmail.com) with 'Drum Circle' in the subject line.
I am also planning a benefit trance party for us (Time Zone Trance Returns!) on May 28th at Tagine. I will post more info after the space is confirmed. If you would like to donate your time or services to the benefit party email me with 'TZTR' in the subject (susannahpryce@gmail.com). It's about tyme.
Finally, if any of you missed it...here's a clip from Bushwick Book Clubs Hip Hop installment (based on The Dark Knight Returns).
Thank you all for your support!
Before the incident occurred I was very sick (actually I'm still sick as I write this). My dad offered to come and take Andrew to the play ground so that I could rest. Andrew and I left the house around 5pm. I was not sure exactly what time my dad would come. At 3pm he was still uptown. I decided to go to the play ground to wait for him. As we neared the playground, I saw my dad coming from the direction of the train stairs. Perfect timing.
It was cool out so I offered to go back to my place to get my dad a wind breaker (jacket).
He had also brought me some 'Ital' food...
http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ital
...and avocados (which I was feeling too sick to eat). The plan was to put the food in the house, get the jacket (give it to my dad who was at the playground with Andrew) and then go to Goodbye Blue Monday http://www.goodbye-blue-monday.com/ to try out my laptop (free wi-fi!). I had wireless at home. It just happened to be the perfect tyme to try it out elsewhere.
While walking towards the house I called my cousin Janet to thank her for the backpack I was carrying. I had my laptop, the external drive, wireless card and plugs in there and was telling her how perfectly they all fit. She gave it to me at my baby shower cuz get this...its insulated inside! Perfect back pack.
Since I had my laptop with me I also had all of my favorite disks, movies, computer stuff, and music. Upon returning home (to put away food and get my dads jacket) I saw one of my housemates leave the house followed by smoke and then I saw flames shooting out of my bedroom window. I could feel the heat from the 3rd floor while standing on the sidewalk near the house next door. At that point I had only been away for twenty minutes. Perfect tyming.
The first thing I did was to tell Janet what I saw, then I got off the phone and started looking for my house mates. When they were all accounted for (after the fire trucks came) I burst into tears.
It felt like I was watching a movie. There were 3 fire trucks on each end of the block to make 6 total. When the firemen walked from the end of the block towards the house it was as if they were walking in slow motion. It seemed like they were all on the same foot...army style...I'm sure it was my imagination...they were just walking together...there was at least 12 of them walking together...it was awe inspiring.
They climed from the fire truck on to the roof, hacked a hole in it and poured water (lots!) into my place (top floor). It was very obvious that the fire originated in my room as it was the only one that burned to a crisp. After that the firemen jumped down into the room and started throwing stuff out. The bed frame, filing cabinets, laptop and office chair...Every time they threw something new out of the window, I burst out into a fresh batch of tears...nooo not the silent kind. The kind that comes with sound.
A couple of times I had to sit on the sidewalk. I was already sick and weak from being ill. I sat on the ground for a bit and cried. I hugged my neighbors and cried some more...and I hugged my house mates and cried even more. It did not occur to me then that I was doing a lot of hugging or even that I was the one who started it (http://www.amma.org/) It just felt natural to cry in someones arms at a time like this. It just so happens that this was the tyme that 'someone' happened to be a whole lot of people!
At one point I could not take it anymore. They had knocked out the walls. The neighbors and everyone standing in front of the house could see all the firemen inside throwing things out and putting out the fire. The last flame was in the wall. Someone had to break the wall down to put that one out.
I felt like a piece of tissue paper...weak and light like I was going to crumple up or blow away at any minute. I was freezing. People saw how much I was devastated and started to turn me away...telling me to not look anymore. I decided I needed some coffee. Perfect tyming.
I went to Goodbye Blue Monday. I Got a large coffee, a flash light, and a metal stick. One of my best mates Mel.E (girl) came to my rescue with some garbage bags and bandannas for our faces. I went to her place to lay down. I was so exhausted (which is why my dad came to get Andrew in the first place). She gave me a plate with a donut and a champagne glass with milk. It looked so great that I wanted to take a picture of it! I was too sick to eat but I took a pinch of the donut and then put it in the bag with the food my dad had brought me (it never made it to the fridge remember!). Right as I was about to lay down my cell rang. Fire Martial. On my way. Perfect tyming.
It was my first time going inside. Thank God Mel was with me. She saved my sanity. My breath went out of my body. I could barely breathe. I was gasping for air like someone had put me in tank with no oxygen. I was breathing really heavy...not asthmatic...but very disjointed and with odd spacing and clusters...a breath here...3 breaths there...another one over here...way after I should have breathed...definitely invoulentary subconscious breath holding involved.
I walked up the stairs. Water everywhere...the smell was more than burnt...it was C02 or whatever they put in the water and fire extinguishers to put fire out. A chemical smell mixed with the burnt smell and the wet smell. I got to my room door and I could see out side. There was nothing left except for a silver box in which I kept my spiritual items including items blessed by and worn by Amma (http://www.amritapuri.org/). I wondered why the fire guys did not throw that out of the window with the other stuff. It was the only thing in the room for me to get. Everything else was either charred to dust or out the window already...furniture...everything (warning: I may use the word everything quite a bit in this article).
I was looking at 3 solid walls, the fourth had a hole the size of Texas in it and the ceiling had a hole that I never looked at ...maybe a glance. I picked up the silver box (which was open) and went to the kitchen. Past the kitchen I saw Andrews bike with some laundry I had planned to take to the mat. There was also his stroller. Thank God Mel was with me and got the stroller and bike.
I went to the refrigerator and got a gallon of apple juice out (it was still cold) then to the bathroom where I got my tweezers, toothpaste and some make up (i ain't no fool!). Then the breathing thing started again. It was all too much. I felt weak. I had the silver box, the gallon of apple juice and my housemate was helping with the laundry bags. Mel had the bike and the stroller. That was all I could manage. That was all there was left to get out. I had no strength to pick through the stuff out front. The pieces of wall and metal on top were too heavy as was my heart.
At some point in all of this I got my fire fans and gave them to Mel. I knew where they were and I knew they survived the fire...the are made out of titanium...the same stuff Harley engines are made out of...theres no way those things could burn...and they didn't! At $75 each I was not about to walk out of there without them so I took my metal rod and looked for other metal under the ruble...found them immediately...a few got bent up with only one of the 10 nylon wicks unravelled a little...totally fixable...I think!?
I told the fire martial exactly how much fuel I had. Of course the can was in there and did not burn, bend or melt. There was not much left in there since I just did a bunch of performances...it was definitely less than half way full.
Out side in front of the house underneath all the pieces of wall that came down are some things. I don't know exactly what things...they are buried under pieces of wall. Maybe clothes, definitely my 2 fire proof file cabinets. What I want to look for most is a green hard suitcase with photos that was on the very top of the closet by the window. Maybe they got there in time to throw it out of the window before everything inside could burn. Maybe a photo or two out of 400 made it. I will go back with my mom to see if I can spot the green suitcase. I know there is a good chance that everything will be in a giant demolition dumpster or not there at all.
After we got all my bags to the Red Cross van, Mel and I went back to Goodbye Blue Monday to return the flash light and metal rod (Thanks Reginald!). I left the big stuff at Mel's place and went back to sit in the Red Cross van were it was difficult to stay awake (It was almost midnight at this point).
The Red Cross guys were awesome. I told them if my son grew up to do for people what they were doing for me, I would be real proud of him. I was in and out of sleep sitting up with the blanket on while they were putting data into the computer. I would wake up here and there to answer questions.
My friend Swati called. I wasn't even able to tell her what happened. I had told the story so many times in the 6 hours prior. I was exhausted. When someone at "Monday's" asked me about it (when I was getting the flash light) I looked at a friend and said 'you tell him'. I was not up for re-living the whole thing by telling the story a thousand times...not at that particular moment anyway. That is just one of the reasons why I am writing this blog.
The Red Cross van took me to a hotel in Brooklyn (where I am writing this). Reverend Billy and Shanti were first responders. They came with clothes and money so I could wash what I had and get food and basics. It was so nice to see some familiar faces. Savitry (Rev Billy's wife) put some nice smelling lotion and aroma therapy oil in there. That was freakin genius on her part. It did not occur to me that my hair and clothes and everything else had this horrible chemical-watery-burnt smell. After that smell and all that I went through, perfumed lotion was heaven.
I had already finished a load of laundry when Rev.Billy and Shanti arrived. I put deodorizer, laundry soap and fabric softener in the wash and...I got the smell out! I had to wash my hair twice. I got Lysol wipes which got the smell off of everything else. The Red Cross gave me some odor neutralizer stuff. Not worried about the smell anymore.
Red Cross paid for one day at the hotel and thanks to Shanti I have another day...
Updates...
I will add up dated info when I can. Feel free to check back here (scroll to bottom for updates).
If you would like to donate to us (now is a good tyme) click the button below:
This donate button should work now. I can also receive donations on pay pal www.paypal.com. All that is needed to send to my account is my email address susannahpryce@gmail.com .
If you would like to show your support in other ways here are some choices:
My mom sells Monaive. Instead of getting a multi-vitamin try monavie. If you already drink monavie, buy it from my mom's site instead of from the regular website. Here's the link: http://www.mymonavie.com/winsome
When I return from Florida I will resume teaching yoga (for donations) at GoodBye Blue Monday. Every Thursday at 2:30pm begining May 20th (not set in stone yet). Please email me if you are interested in coming (susannahpryce@gmail.com). Purty Pleez: Use 'Yoga' as the subject. I may not be living in or near bushwick so I may have to travel in from somewhere to teach. It would be nice to know somone will be there to take the class! I also teach a custom style of Hatha in which the poses are geared towards what going on with everyone in the group. It would be great to know ya!
You can also support us by promoting the Thursday yoga class. The maximum is 6 people. You can post it on your Face-twit-my-mail-space-thingy or just word of mouth, mass email or any creative way you choose! Speak to me first as the tyme (or day!?) may change if there is a better tyme that works for folks who want to come regularly. I will have to clear the day and tyme again with the owner so please email me first (susannahpryce@gmail.com) with 'Yoga' in the subject line.
It is also tyme to resume the Monday night drum circle on May 17th (which is also for donations). It will probably be once a month this year. It is open to novice and experienced drummers. My two drums were destroyed in the fire, however there's stuff to bang on at GoodBye Blue Monday so Im not worried about that. There's also the house drums and friends with drums I can borrow (if you are one of them please remind me!). Donating and actual drum is also welcome. My vision is to have a cirle of drummers that begin on stage and extend into the audience. The full circle will connect audience drummers and stage drummers...the goal is to have no audience! Everyone drumming! If you would like to donate your time or services to the drum circle email me(susannahpryce@gmail.com) with 'Drum Circle' in the subject line.
I am also planning a benefit trance party for us (Time Zone Trance Returns!) on May 28th at Tagine. I will post more info after the space is confirmed. If you would like to donate your time or services to the benefit party email me with 'TZTR' in the subject (susannahpryce@gmail.com). It's about tyme.
Finally, if any of you missed it...here's a clip from Bushwick Book Clubs Hip Hop installment (based on The Dark Knight Returns).
Thank you all for your support!
No comments:
Post a Comment