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Skies and dance floors blackened, so bring on drinks by candlelight

For the third time since year 2000, Hudson nightclubs have successfully met the challenges that go with doing business when the power goes out during the peak time on a weekend.
Sometimes, one thing ebbs while another stays on, depending on just where there’s something like a lightning strike and what area on the electric grid is effected. For instance, in the latest occurrence, the dance floor darkened at Dick’s Bar and Grill, but somehow the disco ball kept spinning and flashing. I guess that truly is “Dancing in the Dark.” Sort of.
Likewise at Pudge’s, where only one of the two main rooms went black, but a few signs touting specific drink brands remained functioning. Hence the rumors of a lightning strike nearby — and just where and how far away — kept flowing just like the tap beer.
Up the street, city crews responded quickly and put up stop signs where traffic signals had failed. After last call came and went, but rains still threatened, a motorcycle remained parked largely alone on the main drag. Wouldn’t want to be that guy (or gal). As for my car, there was a big branch tucked under the trunk, which promptly blew away after I nudged it into the street. This same wind earlier had effected a daytime concert outdoors in North Hudson, where much of the sheet music suddenly blew away. As it was, just after bar time, a friend from Hastings, Minn. said that he watched the “fireworks,” read lightning flashes, for a while from Lakefront Park near the dike road sign until the storm passed, so he would not have to drive home in it.
On one of the earlier instances, the ways bars kept the drinks flowing had even included making flaming rum drinks, all the better to see you by.
One women even came back into Pudge’s, after having left minutes earlier, and jokingly asked if anyone had “seen” the jacket she’d left behind. Staffers were able to find it, thanks in part to some candlelight that was well placed, as their just weren’t enough wicks to go around. Accurately tipping and paying for drinks proved a little more challenging, except when it involved the aformentioned rum drinks. Think of Captain Morgan, God forbid, as the guardian of your treasure.
Alas, the electricity came on right before closing time, and since clocks had been off for roughly two hours, but not on the head, patrons were in a somewhat of a quandry about just how long they had to finish that last drink.

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