And the Thunder Rolled

Saturday night was my first night out with the hubz and sans baby. Tessa spent the evening with our wonderful neighbors and their two very spirited children (their term, not mine…I say they’re just high on chocolate milk).
We went to the horse track to do some betting on the fine ponies and some VERY fine jockeys. As the evening wore on the weather became less and less desirable. The rainstorm rolled in and the 7th race was delayed. The phone rings, it’s Robert. “Hey just wanted to let you know we have her in the downstairs bathroom, she’s still sleeping, I’ll call ya back when it’s over” Through my wine induced fog I said “Why? What’s going on?” As I proceeded to get the weather report via the babysitter the track cancelled the last two races and told everyone to stay inside and not to leave until the storm passes. The televisions switch from pretty horses to ugly radar maps and over-zealous weather men who have just been waiting for an opportunity to invent new words like “Gustnado”. Reports of tornado touch downs, hail and destruction fly across the screen.
What you must know is that my lovely little town had several neighborhoods flattened by a tornado Memorial weekend last year. I of course was 7months preggo and had friends over for a BBQ. Of those lucky guests, several had their car totaled out from hail the size of golf balls. They also enjoyed the musical makings of Mother Nature as she accented the sounds of sirens with breaking glass while she painted the sky a pretty shade of green I’ve never seen before. Like a bunch of idiots we stayed outside watching the storm not realizing that a half a mile away families were experiencing terror beyond their worst fears.
A two year old baby boy died that day. The tornado picked him up out of his home and dropped him in a pond in the back yard. Every time the TV lights up with that radar map and the background music of the local tornado siren my heart leaps out of my body and I cling to Tess. I used to love a good thunderstorm…used to.