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1、Lesson1FacetoFacewithHurricaneCamilleJosephRBlank1 JohnKoshak,Jr.,knewthatHurricaneCamillewouldbebad.RadioandtelevisionwarningshadsoundedthroughoutthatSunday,lastAugust17,asCamillelashednorthwestwardacrosstheGulfofMexico.ItwascertaintopummelGulfport,Miss.,wheretheKosherslived.AlongthecoastsofLouisia
2、na,MississippiandAlabama,nearly150,000peoplefledinlandtosafer8round.But,likethousandsofothersinthecoastalCommunitiesJohnwasreluctanttoabandonhishomeunlessthefamilyhiswife,Janis,andtheirsevenchildren,abed3to11wasclearlyendangered.2 Tryingtoreasonoutthebestcourseofaction,hetalkedwithhisfatherandmother
3、;whohadmovedintotheten-roomhousewiththeKoshaksamonthearlierfromCalifornia.HealsoconsultedCharlesHill,alongtimefriend,whohaddrivenfromLasVegasforavisit.3 John,37whosebusinesswasrightthereinhishome(hedesignedanddevelopededucationaltoysandsupplies,andallofMagnaProductscorrespondence,engineeringdrawings
4、andartworkwerethereonthefirstfloor)wasfamiliarwiththepowerofahurricane.Fouryearsearlier;HurricaneBetsyhaddemolishedundefinedhisformerhomeafewmileswestofGulfport(Koshakhadmovedhisfamilytoamotelforthenight).Butthathousehadstoodonlyafewfeetabovesealevel.Wereelevated2afeet,hetoldhisfather,andwereagood25
5、0yardsfromthesea.Theplacehasbeenheresince1915,andnohurricanehaseverbotheredit.WeIIprobablybeassafehereasanyplaceelse.4 TheelderKoshak,agruffwarmheartedexpertmachinistof67,agreed.Wecanbattendownandrideitout,hesaid.Ifweseesignsofdanger,wecangetoutbeforedark.5 Themenmethodicallypreparedforthehurricane.
6、Sincewatermainsmightbedamaged,theyfilledbathtubsandpails.Apowerfailurewaslikely,sotheycheckedoutbatteriesfortheportableradioandflashlights,andfuelforthelantern.Johnsfathermovedasmallgeneratorintothedownstairshallway,wiredseverallightbulbstoitandpreparedaconnectiontotherefrigerator.6 Rainfellsteadily
7、thatafternoon;graycloudsscuddedinfromtheGulfontherisingwind.Thefamilyhadanearlysupper.Aneighbor,whosehusbandwasinVietnam,askedifsheandhertwochildrencouldsitoutthestormwiththeKoshaks.Anotherneighborcamebyonhiswayin-landwouldtheKoshaksmindtakingcareofhisdog?7 Itgrewdarkbeforeseveno,clock.Windandrainno
8、wwhippedthehouse.Johnsenthisoldestsonanddaughterupstairstobringdownmattressesandpillowsfortheyoungerchildren.Hewantedtokeepthegrouptogetherononefloor.Stayawayfromthewindows,hewarned,concernedaboutglassflyingfromstorm-shatteredpanes.AsthewindmountedtoaroanthehousebeganIeaking-therainseeminglydrivenri
9、ghtthroughthewalls.Withmops,towels,potsandbucketstheKoshaksbeganastruggleagainsttherapidlyspreadingwater.At8:30,powerfailed,andPopKoshakturnedonthegenerator.8 Theroarofthehurricanenowwasoverwhelming.Thehouseshook,andtheceilinginthelivingroomwasfallingpiecebypiece.TheFrenchdoorsinanupstairsroomblewin
10、withanexplosivesound,andthegroupheardgun-likereportsasotherupstairswindowsdisintegrated.Waterroseabovetheirankles.9 Thenthefrontdoorstartedtobreakawayfromitsframe.JohnandCharlieputtheirshouldersagainstit,butablastofwaterhitthehouse,flingingopenthedoorandshovingthemdownthehall.Thegeneratorwasdoused,a
11、ndthelightswentout.CharlielickedhislipsandshoutedtoJohn.Ithinkwe,reinrealtrouble.Thatwatertastedsalty.Theseahadreachedthehouse,andthewaterwasrisingbytheminute!10 Everybodyoutthebackdoortotheoars!Johnyelled.We,IIpassthechildrenalongbetweenus.Countthem!Nine!11 Thechildrenwentfromadulttoadultlikebucket
12、sinafirebrigade.Butthecarswouldntstart;theelectricalsystemshadbeenkilledbywater.ThewindwastooStrongandthewatertoodeeptofleeonfoot.Backtothehouse!johnyelled,Countthechildren!Countnine!12 Astheyscrambledback,johnordered,Every-bodyonthestairs!Frightened,breathlessandwet,thegroupsettledonthestairs,which
13、wereprotectedbytwointeriorwalls.Thechildrenputtheoat,Spooky,andaboxwithherfourkittensonthelanding.Shepeerednervouslyatherlitter.Theneighborsdogcurledupandwenttosleep.13 Thewindsoundedliketheroarofatrainpassingafewyardsaway.Thehouseshudderedandshiftedonitsfoundations.Waterincheditswayupthestepsasfirs
14、t-flooroutsidewallscollapsed.Noonespoke.Everyoneknewtherewasnoescape;theywouldliveordieinthehouse.14 CharlieHillhadmoreorlesstakenresponsibilityfortheneighborandhertwochildren.Themotherwasonthevergeofpanic.Sheclutchedhisarmandkeptrepeating,Icantswim,Icantswim.15 Youwonthaveto,hetoldher;withoutwardca
15、lm.Itsboundtoendsoon.16 GrandmotherKoshakreachedanarmaroundherhusbandsshoulderandputhermouthclosetohisear.Pop,shesaid,hIloveyou.Heturnedhisheadandanswered,Iloveyou-andhisvoicelackeditsusualgruffness.17 Johnwatchedthewaterlapatthesteps,andfeltacrushingguilt.HehadunderestimatedtheferocityofCamille.Heh
16、adassumedthatwhathadneverhappenedcouldnothappen.Heheldhisheadbetweenhishands,andsilentlyprayed:Getusthroughthismess,willYou?18 Amomentlater,thehurricane,inonemightyswipe,liftedtheentireroofoffthehouseandskimmedit40feetthroughtheair.Thebottomstepsofthestaircasebrokeapart.Onewallbegancrumblingonthemaroonedgroup.19 Dr.RobertH.Simpson,directoroftheNationalHurricaneCenterinMiami,Fla.,gradedHurricaneCamille
