By Gracie Gage 栀子 选注

　　Suddenly the lights went out. The constant drone of the air conditioner was replaced with absolute silence.2 I flipped the light switch on and off, but nothing happened. Then the lights began to flicker, giving the room a vague glow. This was very bizarre; the power doesn't usually go off in Manhattan.3

　　I heard a knock at the door. I peered through the peephole4, and there was my father. As I opened the door, Dad began talking although he seemed strangely out of breath5, "The power is out all along the northern east coast. People are saying that something went wrong at Niagara Falls. A power line must have failed.6"

　　I was astounded. Power line?

　　I was getting on the elevator, and the door wouldn't close. I got irritated with it and finally climbed down to the lobby — all nine stories — to find out what the matter was.7 That was just like Dad to get angry at something that didn't work.

　　All of a sudden, we heard people shouting from outside. Dad opened up the window. "Wow, look out there!" Intrigued, I opened another window and looked out. The street was packed with cars whose drivers didn't know when or where to go. Policemen filled the streets trying to mollify the pandemonium.8 Right across the road, workers, who had been trapped on the eleventh floor while building, attempted to cling to railing and climb down to safety.9 Peoples' interrogating and raucous shouts filled the hot August air.10

　　I realized my father was speaking, "We can't stay up here. With no power, there will be no emergency services. If the building caught on fire, we'd be trapped. Let's go and I'll try to call Mom." He grabbed some cash and the cell phone. I followed him in the fatiguing11 trip down the stairs to the lobby. Why couldn't we have gotten a room on the first floor? 

　　I took a small couch and sat down. The stifling12 hotel lobby was full of people. Some were hoping to get a room; others had returned to the hotel because their flights had been canceled. Many attempted to contact family or friends on cell phones. I relaxed on the couch, noticing the only light in the room was from the few sunrays that managed to enter through the windows.13 Restless, Dad left to wander around Times Square. He could never sit around without being occupied.14

　　After what seemed like hours, Dad finally returned. I let him sit on the couch while I tried to cool down on the marble floor. The sun had set, and the room was dark, illuminated only by two small candles that tossed shadows upon the wall.15

　　I lay down on the floor and tried to nap. The surface was very hard, but it was nice and cool. I drifted off to sleep16 only to awaken immediately. At first this had been an exciting adventure, but now I just wished the electricity would come back on so we would be able to go back to our room. I lay there with my eyes closed, unable to sleep, listening to people nearby as they talked. I must have finally fallen asleep though, for I woke up and asked Dad what time it was.

　　"Eight. The lights are on two blocks down from us. The power should come back on pretty soon." He paused, a look of reverie17 on his face, "You know, last night I was able to see the stars over Times Square. I wonder how long it's been since somebody was able to say that."

　　All of a sudden, the chandelier18 came on. Cheers, clapping and laughter filled the room. People sighed and stretched, having spent the interminable night sitting on the floor or couch, just as I had.19

　　Dad and I got on the elevator, and I waited impatiently as it slowly made the journey to the ninth floor. Gleefully, I walked into our room ready for a long nap.

　　As it turned out, we got to see the Statue of Liberty, Staten Island, Ground Zero, the Empire State Building and Phantom of the Opera on Broadway.20 Somehow, though, I always felt that Dad was most impressed when the gaudy man-made lights of New York City were temporarily extinguished and the quiet splendour of God's handiwork shone through.21-