New Bedford Nor’easter Brought the City Together as a Team

Who would have thought that at the tail end of this stormy weather, there would be a silver lining to it? I most certainly learned a valuable lesson today.

This so-called "October Nor'easter" that's been violently sweeping across the coastline has brought nothing but destruction and aggravation to the SouthCoast. Downed telephone lines covered the streets, colossal trees blocked people from not only getting to work but from their streets and even driveways.

Trampolines littered the yards of neighbors and sidewalks, becoming one of the most displaced items as a result of this mid-fall storm. Fences, both new and old, were crushed under the weight of fully-grown trees and ripped from their posts. I know this because it happened to me.

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Oddly enough, I was more concerned about my tomato plants more than the fence itself. Pathetic, I'm aware. However, the fence was still in dire need of repair and before I could grab my tools to at least stabilize it after I got home from work, my neighbor had already secured it once again. I was blown away at the generosity, to say the least.

As I drove around downtown, and over by the West End, I noticed dozens of trash bins that were knocked over by gusts of wind into the streets. Litter was everywhere, but so were the residents who lived there and each other's neighbors. Together, people were running around catching trash as it was blowing away and clearing the storm drains so they wouldn't block.

Everyday citizens who owned chainsaws were cutting away at dangerous and fallen limbs and branches, clearing the streets and walkways. Yeah, it was gross and raw outside, but to weather a storm together, you have to do it as a team, no matter what gets thrown your way.

I noticed this today and perhaps it was only coincidental, it still brought about that warm fuzzy feeling inside. Lastly, no tomatoes were harmed in the wake of this Nor'easter, thankfully.