Waiting for Electricity (Ch 2)

What was the use in getting up? There was nothing to do but wait in the dark. My husband has to have a routine, so he gets up anyway at what seems like 5 a.m. and does the usual over the past weeks. Looks out the window, checks to see if the cats have come home, and walks to the street and back. There is nothing to do but wait. Any papers we have are from another time, another world---they don't interest him, because the here and now has taken over importance and waiting for electricity is our "work assignment" --hoping and praying that today will be the day for things to begin to get back to what we once thought was normal...to be able to turn on a light switch. . .