Julio recalled waiting in line for 1½ hours for a loaf of bread. He found the experience trying but also a time to chat with people, unencumbered with distracting cellphones. Cellphone are used sparingly, partly because of poor reception and partly to conserve battery charges.

The couple had to drive several miles to be able to get a phone signal, which Maribel said forced decisions such as whether to use the gas to get to a spot where phone reception was possible or remain incommunicado while conserving gas.

Maribel showed a photo of dozens and dozens of people crammed into the lobby of a building that had power from a generator — all charging their phones.

Supporting family

The Birds didn’t consider leaving the island before the hurricane for a couple of reasons. For one thing, predicting the path of a hurricane is an inexact science, and they hoped it might veer away.

“The other thing is we couldn’t say we were bailing on family,” Julio said, as the Birds’ immediate family members number almost 20, with many more extended family members.

Julio said he has heard that as many as half a million of the island’s 3.5 million Americans will pack up what little they have left and leave.