Because I'm Paranoid Now

I've never been one who was afraid of storms. As a little kid I have a vivid memory of my Aunt Sherry and Uncle Tommy, who lived down the street at the time, over at our house playing a board game with my parents on the night of a storm. My cousins Tammy (who is a year older than my brother) and Jenny (who is my age) were hanging out with us. The weather got stormy that night and I the sirens went off. As our parents continued their game, Jenny and I began loading my stuffed animals into the closet under the stairs, which was our tornado safe place, much to the amusement of our parents. The storm came no where near us. I'm pretty sure that's the biggest reaction I've ever had to the possibility of a tornado until yesterday.

 

The combination of driving through Joplin on Sunday and the information our meteorologists had on this storm beforehand had me completely on edge. They closed most area schools early, then they closed state agencies early. I debated starting for home or staying at the History Center with its delightfully large concrete basement. I finally decided to head south, as most of the storms appeared to be tracking north. Alec headed for home as well. EVERYONE was on the road. I briefly considered going back to the History Center, as I wasn't sure I could make it home in time to avoid the storm, but I pressed on south. As we drove home the sirens sounded in various parts of Oklahoma County, but everything was west of us. We got home, cleared out the closet, put Daphne in her carrier and got Bailey's leash, put them in the closet (which led to some hissing before I covered up the cat carrier), and hunkered down with the radio turned up. In case the power went out, we had a flashlight and my weather radio (thanks, Brother!), but we didn't end up needing them. Alec grabbed the motorcycle helmets (I put mine on at one point--when they mentioned southeast Norman). Soon, however, it was over for us. After some portions of Goldsby were leveled, the storm headed out of our area and we emerged from our makeshift bunker.

 

We began checking on people and other people began checking on us. That evening, I couldn't stop watching the weather coverage. We watched Anderson Cooper in Joplin as the storm headed that way and the sirens went off there. I checked my Twitter feed and Facebook constantly. I corrected the Weather Channel guys and gals when they mispronounced Oklahoma town names. Finally, after the line of storms had passed my family in Broken Arrow and had gone through Joplin, I let myself put my phone down. 

 

I don't know if I'll ever react to another storm like that, or if this is an isolated incident related to recent events. Maybe I'll never look at severe weather the same. One thing I do know--I want our next home to have a real tornado shelter. Everyone's invited. We'll have bunker parties.