Cyclone Alfred

I’m the latest newsflash plastered across silver screens. Alfred! I’m sneaky! Aren’t we all? Every tropical cyclone’s mandate is to shake people out of complacency. I did that! Much more fun than visiting Far North Queensland. They expect us. They build their houses strong enough to keep us ‘Big Bad Wolves’ from blowing them over! In fact, they seem almost disappointed if we skip a year!

It was high time! Fifty years had passed since we last paid Brisbane a visit.

A Tropical Low birthed in the Coral Sea sixteen days earlier, I meandered down the entire east coast of Queensland, briefly building my strength up to a Category 4.

Communities cowered; school closed; shoppers swooped in like grasshoppers picking shelves clean. I kept them waiting, guessing, biting their nails. That’s true power… psychological as well as physical.

Sure, I finally petered out in a splutter. But not before lashing their famous Gold Coast and devouring their gorgeously golden sandy coastline. On the plus side, a swag of crazy Aussies was actually swimming in the frothy bubbles I whipped up! However, impressive floodwaters kept them on their toes. Uprooted trees sure make handy weapons, waging war against their precious powerlines and poles! Take a few of them out and soon a few hundred thousand people are wailing… feebly struggling to survive.

No electricity for their food and entertainment! Imagine that! I did them a favour, giving them a taste of life like it was back in the ‘good old days’. How about picking up a pencil and drawing for a change, instead of computer games? Did I mention what fun it was, promising rain, but barely delivering a few measly mls in some areas? Surely you didn’t think I was charitable!

Unfortunately, things can rapidly get out of hand. Property, wildlife and even people can pay a steep price when my ‘games’ embroil them.

Anyway, like all ‘good’ things… I’ve come to an end. But not before giving them lots to think about and do. ‘Clean-up’ should keep them busy for some time. Well, I’ll bid you farewell and hand over to my old mate ‘Rain Depression’. Perhaps he’ll deliver on my some of my empty promises of rain.

I wonder if this will teach them to live life to the full, every unpredictable day they are given.

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Inspired by the recent Cyclone Alfred.

My FNQ cyclone tale is below.