reflexes

I'm sure I've experienced an earthquake before. But all I can remember are the drills in elementary school when you get to miss class and giggle with friends while sitting in the basement with a book over your head. My fourth grade teacher Mrs. Hahn would be disappointed in my recent inability to react to the earthquake off the coast of Bali.  I was visiting a turtle conservation hatchery, hanging out with this cute little guy, when schoolkids on a field-trip all started screaming and running out from the covered awning. (Clearly they've practiced more recently than I have). Confused and apparently incapable of catching on, I sat tight with my turtle friend. I carefully placed him back in his tub and asked what was going on as I casually walked out from the shaking roof above my head. Nice reflexes.

The guy who was taking me around the hatchery was trying his best to explain the situation.  At no fault of his own he confused the word earth for war. Don't ask me how but he did. So making a scary face, moving his hands in a shaky motion he just kept repeating: "war, war, warrrr"... I thought I was going crazy. Indonesia in a war? But with who? And does that mean that was a bomb? Finally (a wee bit delayed) I realized that it was an earthquake and he was trying to describe that rather than tell me we were under attack. Right, got it.


Thanks to everyone who sent worried emails asking about my well being.  Apart from minor casualties around the island everything went back to normal rather quickly. Besides realizing, in yet another light, that I'm an idiot, all is well :)