I attended the PUD meeting last Tuesday evening and, amid all of the other business, a brief report covered the power disconnects scheduled for the next day.  I believe there were to be 10.  As with such  statistical reports, they were just numbers, without faces and stories.

That evening, I returned home a bit later than usual.  My wife reheated our dinner with the microwave.  While I was waiting, I washed up with hot water followed by a trip to the fridge for a cool beverage.  After dinner, we watched a bit of TV in our warm, well lit living room.  Before going to bed, we touched base with our daughters via computer and got the latest on the antics of our grandkids.

As I was lying in bed trying to get to sleep, I couldn't help but think how fortunate my wife and I are.  We live in a small, modest home, but it has all the necessities.  Then, those 10 disconnects filled my mind as I tried to imagine the terrible impact that action would have on the lives to be affected.  What brought these families to this point, an illness or other tragedy, loss of a job, were they away and missed the bill?  Regardless, this was going to happen and, worst of all, not only will they have to catch up on their bill, there will be the additional reconnect fee, $250.00 I believe.

The rest of the night that old Garth Brooks song "The Ones the Wolves Pull Down" ran through my mind and I couldn't help but think that we could, and must, do more for our  neighbors in financial crisis.