Welcome To A Road Less Traveled

Well I have finally decided to blog about this. Last Sunday I was coming home from Church and was on the phone with one of my local friends. She told me that we were under tornado watches and then corrected that to say tornado warnings. I told her I had best get off the phone and have both hands on the wheel. I was not all that concerned though, mostly because having never experienced a tornado I did not take it all that seriously. Afterall, I told myself.. What are the odds?

Well I got about a mile or so from my turnoff to go to Atmore and my car started jerking around. I drive a small car most of the time so it had my full attention. I pulled over but still felt the winds yanking at my Tracker. I simply sat there in dismay watching debris fly about 1/4 mile ahead of me. I watched helplessly as what appeared to be a part of a metal roof wrapped around the power lines. I believe it was an old hardware store that I watched a portion of the metal roof roll up..

Right after that, I don't know how long, there was a frenzy of people running back and forth, crossing the highway. Some carrying blue tarps as they immediately tried to help those who had roof damage. Soon I heard sirens and than observed emergency response vehicles arriving. I did not know if I should go or stay put. I did not know if these things double back or if there were downed wires across the highway. I soon realized had my timing been 30 seconds or so sooner I may have been in serious trouble.

Finally an officer came up to me and asked me what I was doing there. I told him I had pulled over and not budged because I had never been in one of these and did not know what to do. He indicated I had done the right thing but now it was time to move along.

I was still bucking winds all the way into Atmore. While I was driving I began to realize when I had seen the aftermath of tornado's on television I had never much thought about the hysteria and frenzy of those in them during and immediately following a tornado. It seemed like this was a long time, but I am sure my sense of time was lost in the shuffle as well.

I think I was too numb to be really afraid. I do know that I started feeling queazy and almost a surreal feeling. I immediately called my assistant who works on the church website because I just needed to hear a voice. I don't know if it was that night or a day later that I called my pastor. I finally called the flea market and told them I was running late. My friends gave me strict instructions to call every 10 minutes or they were going to come out and meet me.

If I never experience one of these things again I will be grateful. Even from the close outskirts it is a feeling like no other... I felt like I should be helping but was too busy gripping onto my steering wheel. It is so amazing to see people pull together during a time of crisis.

Well that is pretty much it.. I think I will take tornadoes a bit more seriously now, since I have been given a closer view of them. Close enough for me anyway!!