Guest Post Series: My Grandfather

(post published here (a) unbeknownst to him,

(b) via an e-mail to me, and

(c) because I'm just THAT lazy.)

The night of the 15th/16th created a historical chaos in northern Pakistan. Somebody released a rumour that a tsunami-type earthquake was going to hit us! Mosque loudspeakers blared, summoning the faithful to pray for forgiveness, grab Baby and run. Where to? Never mind, just run! Soon the Grand Trunk Road was jammed with anything on wheels, including cars, trucks, bicycles, and even wheel-chairs! Northerners were fleeing south, southerners north, creating a royal traffic chaos. Traffic cops were among those running helter-skelter.

"Yajooj Majooj aa gaye!" (Gog and Magog have come!) screamed many.

Our phone rang in the wee hours of the morning: "Auntie, we are sitting wrapped in quilts in the open outside our hostel."

Had the administration launched an instantaneous refutation of the rumour, the chaos might have been prevented, since earthquakes cannot be predicted even with the most sophisticated seismographic knowhow available.