The high-pitched and insistent alert on my phone jarred me from a relaxing Friday afternoon. The red triangle with the exclamation point said, “Extreme Alert. Tornado Warning in this area. Take shelter now.” Wait, what?! First, I don’t remember downloading this app. And secondly, this isn’t Kansas; it’s Connecticut. Tornados are a rarity that occur once every thirty years or so.
New text from tlcknits, “Are you okay?” Well, I was until panic set in. My phone rings. It’s my aunt asking me if I’m in my basement because she is headed there, and my uncle refuses to go with her. Now I’m beginning to get frightened.
The TV is saying that a possible tornado is heading right for my town and moving out to where my aunt lives. I call my mom and sister who are shopping at the mall. “Where ARE you?!!!! There’s a tornado coming!!!!” My sister laughs and says that she is driving home, and it’s perfectly sunny. “But you don’t understand,” I say, my voice quivering, “They are saying to take shelter NOW!” “Okay, Dorothy, let me concentrate on my driving then.”
By now, I’m running through the house trying to elicit in Jim the same level of hysteria that the media has aroused in me. I quickly change my clothes (huh?) and argue with him over whether the garage or the basement is the better place to take shelter. I look around wondering, other than my dogs, what I should grab in case the house is lifted away. I realize nothing comes to mind.
By now, the alert has been renewed, but I see that our town is no longer in danger. Jim looks at me and deadpans, “Wow, that was a close call.”
A message from my sister on my phone, “Do you need help bringing your mattress back up to your bedroom?”
Don't think I'm warning you next time, bitches!
Oh boy!! The weather alerts can be over-the-top, but I always feel like you're better safe than sorry.
Posted by: Jodi | 13 August 2012 at 02:18 PM
Much easier to laugh about it now! Glad you were spared. :D
Posted by: Mary | 13 August 2012 at 03:41 PM
I'm with Jodi - better to be safe than sorry!
Posted by: RoseRed | 14 August 2012 at 05:13 AM
That was the funniest thing I've read in awhile - you should submit it somewhere! (Glad you're OK, though, and your little dogs, too!)
Posted by: Madmad | 14 August 2012 at 08:29 AM
I grew up in Tornado Alley, where we had more tornado drills than fire drills in school. And I was not far from your home during that time period. In a car. Looking for shelter. But I also know what to look for in the sky - having had to actually CHASE tornadoes later in life - and it wasn't there. Thankfully. You did everything right.
Posted by: NutmegOwl | 14 August 2012 at 02:08 PM
Oh you always make me laugh so much Kim, love that you changed clothes, I would have done that too.
Posted by: Rebecca | 15 August 2012 at 02:33 AM
That was hilarious! ;-P
Posted by: Renna | 22 August 2012 at 02:26 AM
Teeheehee. Sorry for the scare. I didn't realize you were in Connecticut. I went to school there and have friends in East Haddam.
Posted by: Kathy | 27 August 2012 at 06:27 PM
I'd have reacted the same way you did! Do you think horses would walk in the basement with me, the kids and the dogs?? Likely they'd be more willing than my husband who would want to keep doing whatever he was doing and ignore me! lol
Really glad to hear all is well!
Posted by: Renee | 02 September 2012 at 07:16 PM