Last Days on Ocracoke

With the solstice looming and the Mayan calendar ending, Ocracoke Current hit the streets to ask islanders how they plan to spend what could be their very last day on earth. 

A merry cluster of friends were stringing Christmas lights at Charles Temple and Chrisi Gaskill's home. 

Vera Attaway:  Charles is going to put up lights and spread Christmas cheer.  I'm going to drink a mimosa and go on a beach drive.  I won't be driving.

Sara Batchelor:  I'm having a mimosa and going for a beach ride.  We made plans for this years ago. 

Scott MacNally (to Chrisi):  I'm eating macaroni and cheese that you're going to cook.

Chrisi:  I guess I'm making macaroni and cheese.  We've already had biscuits and watched Christmas movies.

Charles:  We're not gonna die skinny.

Onward we charged to the library, post office, Variety Store and bank.  A surprising number of islanders seemed to be spending their final hours running errands.

Kimberly Emery:  I'm making sure my Christmas cards get mailed, and paying bills.  How ridiculous. 

Andrew Stern:  Maybe looting.  That sounds fun.  Put me down for looting.   After I'm done working at the library, the looting will commence.

Tim Fields:  Is that midnight tonight?  I don't think I'm gonna change a thing.  It's a constant party.

David Kieffer:  We have family down.  My son and daughter are in from the army, so they're going to spend the end of the world with us.

Eny Mutro:  I'm going to spend it the same way I always do.  This is about the fifth time the world's ended.

Celeste Brooks:  Shayna and I are just going to hang out.  I was looking forward to being off all next week.

Tim Parker:  Probably as usual, you know, a little smokin' and jokin'.

Debbie Jenkins and Trudy Austin were hard at work changing displays.

Trudy:  Apparently, hanging sweatshirts at the Variety Store.

Debbie:  We're putting all the sweatshirts on sale.  You shouldn't live your last days wearing old clothes.

Jimmy Wrobleski:  I wore this shirt in honor of the apocalypse.  "Today's empires, tomorrow's ashes."   Nothing too exciting is planned.

Jamie Carter:  The world's ending?  Well, don't buy green bananas.

Ruth Toth:  I played bridge this afternoon, and I'm on my way to Zillie's.  Also, I made some bourbon slush.  Stop by tomorrow for a cocktail around sunset.  That is, if there is a sunset tomorrow.

Brooke Wells:  I'm embarrassed to say I'll probably be cleaning. 

Kevin Hardy:  I'm depositing all these checks into the bank.  I have no fear that death is imminent.

Linda Jackson:  I'm too busy wrapping Christmas presents to worry about that.  But maybe I better eat, then.

A jolly group of teens home from college and boarding school were taking a scud and picking up their--last ever?--Eduardo's meal. 

Molly Lovejoy:  I got my hair done.  And I got a massage.

Cassandra Hagins:  We're planning to survive, so we're picking which houses are going to be the best to raid.

Emmet Temple:  I got my teeth cleaned, so I'll die with a good smile.

Leslie Espinoza:  We're staying up all night.  You don't want to die in your sleep.  You want to die when you're alive!