In the days after Sandy blew through town, it was hard to tell from the looks of our neighborhood, which had only suffered through a few hours of lost cable and internet, that there had been a natural disaster at all. It was comforting to assume that even though other parts of the city and region got it worse, the situation was well in hand and everyone would be back in their homes, rebuilding the boardwalks, and putting things back in order shortly. Last Sunday, though, while Elizabeth watched the girls, I met up with a crew organized by a local merchant and drove out to the Rockaway Beach Surf Club to volunteer.
What I saw on the beach was a lot different from what I imagined. [Read more…]