All thought leaves your mind as you begin to relax and enjoy the peace and quiet and drift off into your own world amongst the steam and heat from the...shower. The sound of the front door brings you back to reality. At least you think that’s what it was. Zane, your flat mate, must be home. You turn off the water and step out of the shower, slowly drying yourself off and slipping on a pair of boxers. You head out of the bathroom in search of him. The quiet of the apartment is out of place. Your. Though shunned publicly for most of my life, his death became a point of liberation for me and my mom. Succumbing to the stresses of life, Mom became an alcoholic and drug user to numb her pain, and ultimately abandoned the desire to take care of me. When I was just a kid, Mom's younger sister became my mother figure. Weeks after I turned sixteen, Maudie invited me to live with her because my Mom was no longer capable of caring for herself, let alone me. Maudie was just twelve years older than. .. that is, until you are reminded that it was the date of the last great Eastern Blackout.We lived in New York City which, unlike the midwest, doesn't get tornadoes - unlike the south and southeast, doesn't get hurricanes - unlike the west, doesn't get annual wild fires.What we get is blackouts! 8/13/03 was our third major one since LBJ became President.I was about to enter junior year in high school. My brother James would become a sophomore. Our parents were stuck at work, dad unconcerned. She was perfect. Her big green eyes lit up as I approached her.“Jon!” She exclaimed, joy in her voice. As we walked and talked, she described the same feelings I had had on the plane. She told me how I had definitely not disappointed her in the looks department.It wasn’t long before we ended up making out in her car, parked in front of a hotel. She lived with her parents and had told them she was with a friend tonight. When we finally managed to get the door open (It is really hard to do when.