Aftershocks

The worse thing about the last two weeks has been the aftershocks. Day after day, the floor sometimes shakes or maybe vibrates a little. The odd creaks, and there we are, looking nervously at each other wondering if this is just an aftershock, a small earthquake or “the big one”. At times, I am not longer sure if the earth is moving or if I am just sitting here imagining things.

We are told to expect aftershocks for the next few months. Since the earthquake on the 11th of March, there have been hundreds of aftershocks. Most people have alarms on their phone that are linked to the earthquake alert system. At times, the trading floor is full of phones beeping, chirping, vibrating and trilling phones. Everybody cranes their neck, and looks at the big TVs suspended over our desks. All programming is interrupted with a big map of Japan and the location of the epicenter of the incoming quake.

In most cases, it would be too far or too weak to be a cause for concern. But sometimes, the epicenter would be Chiba, or Saitama or another neighboring prefecture. Then we wait. After a few minutes, everybody gets back to work. Maybe with a sigh of relief, or a little defiant giggle. Truth be told, my nerves are shot.