Tuesday, June 16, 2009

There were Park Benches FLYING EVERYWHERE!


REALLY! Well, that park benches thing was the most interesting thing I said, so that is what made the news. And sorry, I can't find it on channel 31, so my 5 seconds of fame is fading fast.
OK – so here’s my tornado story! Ready? Wait for it. . . . GO!
I was going to get a perm at JCpennies/Southlands at 2:00.
I saw the funnel cloud as I left the neighborhood, and thought it looked pretty far north and east, and so it would be fine (and Hey, isn’t that cool. )
As I kept driving up Smokey hill the funnel seemed to pull back up off the ground and again I thought oh good, it went away – (but still, isn’t that cool!)
Then as I got into Southlands, I saw either the same one, or a second funnel sort of pointing at me from up in the sky, ready to come down – and I thought that's silly, but it was hailing now, and I could see the hail swirling around sideways with a bunch of other debris – which I thought means that it is pretty near the ground – isn’t that cool!
So then I thought I’m not going to make it inside JCPennies during this hail storm, so I’d better park, and stay safe in the car and watch it pass by - Kinda cool, but I’m alittle scared now that I shouldn’t be this close.
So now, IT’S A TORNADO! I can see that.
I parked in one of the front spots at JCP’s and the hail is coming down like mad now, the tree next to the car is slapping around on the top of the car, and the tornado is passing me in the parking lot, and I can’t believe how close it is.
So now I’m actively NOT PANICING – and thinking the cars are on the ground, it’s safe in the car, it will be passed soon – (thinking, wow that’s cool, and I’m pretty sure I’m not going to die.)
Then as it came up to the building, the swirling part literally started to back up toward me, and came right over the top of the car. Now, I'm "gettin right with Jesus"! Thinking “If it’s my time, it’s my time. This might be it. “
The car rocked around and I felt like the minivan might get thrown to the side, and that the windshields would surely shatter, but they didn’t – and it started to be really cool again as I realized that the cars were staying on the ground. And then it went over/around the building. I waited a few minutes; noticed the park benches where thrown all around, and I hadn’t even seen that happening, and lots of the cars had window that were shattered; and went inside.
Before I know it, everyone was being sent outside because of a natural gas smell.
People were freaking out trying to get outside, and I was still wanting to be inside, so I waited under the overhang of the roof for awhile.
Then I hoped in my car, thought maybe I could get a perm at cost cutters, and so drove over there – were I met the channel 31 news lady and was interviewed!
CRAZY - and now seeing how much worse it was 100 yards away at Lowes, I’m quite thankful to be unharmed! (And I feel alittle stupid for parking in front of the tornado.) That’s my story!

1 comment:

Martha said...

Just remember next time:
Duck and Cover
NOT Curl and Color!

:)