On Thursday, our evening started off with supper at our church. Our friend Scott was cooking, so you know it was good. And it’s always nice when I don’t have to cook or do dishes. By the time we got home it was getting a little dark, and the weather seemed just a little weird! However, when the TV was turned on, they were showing a map of where a tornado was traveling towards our area.
I didn’t think too much of it until George asked me if I knew where our two large flashlights were. I was a little surprised that he wanted them because they are for times when the electricity goes out. I didn’t think it was going to be that bad! However, just then on TV, I saw the weatherman, Marshall McPeek, standing in front of a map that was full of all kinds of colors that seemed to be moving from the west to the east here in our area. He is always on channel 6, and we watch him most every night while having supper.
By the time I looked out the window there was a storm going on. I could see a few car lights passing by very slowly while everything else seemed to be flying by at an unusually fast speed. It helped that the street light was still on. But just then, the street lights started to flash. That wasn’t good because in the past when I have seen it flashing, it usually ended up going out. I could also see that our neighbors all had lights on. By that time, Marshall seemed to have been talking for at least one hour.
I was taken by the fact that he was so calm in assuring us that it would soon be passing us. He continued talking so long that I also wondered how his voice could hold out that long. Soon, I realized that we might be blown down the street, or worse, that our roof may be blown off. So, I took time to collect some of the important things I would need.
First it was my medicine, two kinds, and then my purse that had the important things like identification, medical cards, drivers license (even though I don’t drive any longer.) And, of course, we would need the two big flashlights we have for emergencies.
By 10:40 p.m. they were telling people to stay off the streets and roads. Just stay home! Gladly!
The wonderful part was that our electricity never did go out! By that time, Marshall was still talking to “us” and assuring us that it was passing our area. It seemed that the adjoining counties were in worse shape than we were. Just when I thought we were safe, we were told that we were “not out of the threat yet!” In fact, our “weather alert siren” was going on and off all evening.
About then I remembered we had some mint chocolate chip ice cream in the freezer, so why not have a bowl full? I needed it to help take my mind off of the storm for awhile. And it worked!
After 3 to 4 hours of storms around us, we were notified that the storm was moving south to Columbus. And here we sat with our two “bigger than life” flashlights all ready to use, but had not been needed. Marshall is still showing us the lightning that doesn’t seem to stop! And also showing us people who don’t have any electricity. We are glad that isn’t us.
Well, after the 4 hours (from 7:30 until 11:30) we had been watching and listening to Marshall, I can put my medicine back where it belongs, turn off some of the lights that had been on all evening, and call it a day we are thankful to have survived so well. So I will sign off here by saying: Thanks to Marshall, who helped us through it.
Kay E. Conklin is a retired Delaware County recorder who served four terms. She graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University with a degree in sociology and anthropology.
