load shedding

Every few days, for a couple hours, the South African government turns off the power everywhere in the country. Lights flick off, food spoils, and cars awkwardly try to negotiate dark intersections.

My load-shedding moment happened just a few minutes ago, as I was about to write a post on this blog. Somehow, my laptop battery still has the juice to continue, and the wifi hasn't died.

The McDonalds in front of my building has closed and locked its doors since the power went out. The employees are sitting on the sidewalk. Hotel guests behind me are lining up by the bar to grab the last cold drinks. The conversations, which were revolving around the soccer game on TV, are now about even more boring alcohol-related topics.

Everyone is eerily calm about it all, though. I feel like if this happened in Seattle, there would be mass hysteria.

Oh, and I should note, the South African government doesn't turn off the power because they're trying to save energy to create a greener world; they turn off the power because the circuits will catch on fire if they don't. The government has extended electricity to areas they do not have the capacity to power, and those areas are overwhelming the already inadequate power plants.

Apparently, the milk industry has suffered the greatest losses from the load-shedding policy. Milk spoils fast, or something. Actually, that doesn't make very much sense. Maybe the person who told me that was confused.