The Big One of 1989

Written by guest contributor: Leon Acord-Whiting, Actor/Writer/Producer


25 years ago today, the San Francisco Earthquake. To honor the occasion, here's my journal entry of the first couple days:


I walk out of the State Building a little after 5, cross the street, and stop to look at the USA Today stand. The machine next to it begins to shimmy. Just as I wonder if its the wind, the ground begins to lurch! I look up to see the parked cars literally bouncing on the pavement, rocking like boats on choppy waters. "Oh, fuck!" I thought, realizing what was happening. I grab ahold of a tree, and crack a joke (which I can't remember) to someone at the next tree, while the lurching continues. I look up to the swaying Federal Building and realize this isn't the best place to be. I let go of the tree, and begin to walk, but then its over.
Everyone appears in shock, but there's a feeling of "We survived another one!" I start to walk home, immediately noticing the cloud of dust over upper Larkin. The streets are instantly filled with people. Plaster is scattered across the sidewalks, and cracks snake up the sides of buildings. Some windows are smashed out. I decided to stop by Charly's to joke about it. When I arrive, a crowd of people stand at the door. The manager is telling everyone not to go back in--he doesn't know how bad it it. Hmmmm. The intercom isn't working, so I head home. As I turn my corner, I see Charly. He's on the verge of tears. He tells me he jumped out onto his fire escape--in his underwear--when it hit, barely escaping the shelves that then crashed onto his couch, ripping the TV and VCR cords out of the wall. He's very shaken up.
We went to the Peacock Club on the corner--everything else had suddenly closed. We sat there for over an hour. The news started to come in on radio--there was no power. The Bay Bridge had collapsed. 7.0! We were to a pay phone to call home. I got through to mom on the first try, who burst into tears when she heard "collect call from Leon Acord." I tell her everything is OK. When I hang up, a crowd of about 20 has lined up for the phone. Charly calls his mom, and I went to my apartment. Outside it was cracked along both sides. I walked up the stairs (no elevator), the hallways were cracked, plaster all over the steps. In my place, surprisingly very little was out of place--but every window in the place was shattered and gone. I gathered some stuff, and met Charly. We stopped by his place (a total mess) til dark, then walked. No lights at all, except for passing headlights. Masses of people just walking the streets like "Night of the Living Dead." Dazed. Sirens and helicopters non-stop.
We went to Market Street, then back up here, and went to a bar. Then we went to Christine's restaurant for a while. Then back to Charly;s. He finally got ahold of his family. Neal called, and I finally passed out.
Hung around Charly's most of the next day, no work, still reeling from last night. We went to the Castro and got some money front the only ATM that was working, ate, hung out for a while. We went back to his place, but it was dark, and he was wired. Back to Castro for some candles, and to a bar for some wine. Castro was business as usual, but when we returned, our neighborhood was like Gotham City. Pitch black, throngs on the streets. I finally came home.
Now the streets are completely deserted. Eerie. Still no power. Still hot out. I'm so exhausted I should have no trouble sleeping throughout the generators running across the street.
2:11am
Things are calming down. No work today, and from what I've heard, no work for some time. The older side of the State Building is condemned. Lord! I just cleaned up glass.