It was a quiet Sunday evening in downtown Mystic but under a post Irene sky a handful of people were out eating, peering in empty storefront windows and sharing stories about the day.
While there were few cars driving through the village and there were plenty of parking spots, after spending most of the day indoors many downtown area residents were ready to venture out.
The crowd spilling out of was typical of a summer evening in this tourist village, but it was locals not visitors that filled the bar and the dining area.
“We drove by, saw that it was open and decided to stop,” said Greg Hunter.
Hunter ate at Mystic Pizza with his family. They were without power and living nearby were surprised to find any place open.
The restaurant was running on generator power and employee Greg DiBartolomeo said the place had been busy since opening. He estimated most of Mystic’s residents had stopped by at some point during the day.
Judging from the crowded bar and busy dinning room he was probably right and the rest of Mystic had most likely stopped by the , which was running on propane.
Across the street Sabine and Detlef Schmeer were peering in the windows at trying to get a feel of the village they had never planned on visiting. The couple and their 15-year-old daughter ended up in Mystic after being evacuated from their Stonington hotel.
“We’re enjoying it,” Detlef said as he looked around and smiled at the village stores boarded up with sandbags out front.
Just over the bridge in the , several groups of people mingled about swapping hurricane stores under the gray windy sky. While they hoped for power soon in the meantime they enjoyed the company of their neighbors.
