<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div dir="auto" style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><p style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 19px; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">What We Packed at 3 A.M.</span></p><div style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class=""> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class=""> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">The dog </span></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">the drugs</span></p><div style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class=""> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">The cash</span></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">the cards</span></p><div style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class=""> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">The elder neighbors who couldn’t drive</span></p><div style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class=""> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">We packed our fear</span></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">though it couldn’t be contained</span></p><div style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class=""> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">We crawled in our cars</span></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">as the fire raced </span></p><div style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class=""> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">through its feast</span></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">of everything</span></p><div style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class=""> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">of everyone</span></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">or everyone’s dreams</span></p><div style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class=""> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">Everywhere we looked</span></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">RED RED</span></p><div style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class=""> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">We called friends in the hills</span></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">No answer</span></p><div style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class=""> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">We cried <i class="">Jesus Christ!</i></span></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">No answer</span></p><div style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class=""> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">The fire jumped and morphed</span></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">and ate some more</span></p><div style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class=""> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">Garage doors wouldn’t open</span></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">Trees blocked the roads</span></p><div style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class=""> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">The red sky</span></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">grew wider and taller</span></p><div style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class=""> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">and shot its off-springs</span></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">into the air</span></p><div style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class=""> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">to ignite their own</span></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">smorgasbords</span></p><div style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class=""> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">We unpacked our prayers</span></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">to all the gods</span></p><div style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class=""> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">we don’t believe in</span></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">And when we reached safety</span></p><div style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class=""> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">we watched our phones</span></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">(we packed those, too)</span></p><div style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class=""> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">for news and it</span></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">wasn’t good.</span></p><div style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class=""> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">Yes, we had each other.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">Yes, we were alive.</span></p><div style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class=""> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">But our world,</span></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">our beautiful Sonoma County world</span></p><div style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class=""> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">What we packed</span></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">wasn’t the mountains</span></p><div style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class=""> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">wasn’t the deer</span></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">the coyotes, the quail</span></p><div style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class=""> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">wasn’t the mountain lions</span></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">or mountain lakes</span></p><div style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class=""> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">wasn’t Willi’s</span></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">or Fountaingrove</span></p><div style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class=""> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">wasn’t Coffey Park</span></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">or the field of larks</span></p><div style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class=""> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">or the knowledge</span></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">it would take two weeks</span></p><div style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class=""> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">to get back home</span></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">or that home would still</span></p><div style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class=""> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">be there</span></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">or that the gorgeous golden grass</span></p><div style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class=""> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">just outside our windows</span></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">would change overnight</span></p><div style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class=""> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">into candles waving</span></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class="">their virgin wicks</span></p><div style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class=""> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-kerning: none" class=""> <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>- Katherine Hastings</span></p></div></body></html>