Unreal! (not a single photo, sorry) -
Yesterday afternoon as I was driving from Little Rock, AR toMemphis - all the radio stations went to TORNADO ALERT! - all scratchy with strange beeps and weird alert sounds. Talk of a little adrenaline while driving - I've never seen skies like that.
To the north of me was this BLACK WALL with strange streaks of muddybrown. It was totally evil and then they started warning people - "If you're driving, get out of your car immediately!" - they added, "Don't head for home if it's a mobile trailer! - get to a secure, stable structure immediately!" "If no structures are available, get out of your car, get into a ditch face down and cover your head with your hands!!" I tried to place to the county names they were talking about. I know I recogninzed some of the little towns they mentioned - but I was basically in farm land as far as I could see.
I started looking for an exit and the only one around - had one building (it looked substantial) - a big red structure by the side of the freeway - with a huge sign on top - *XXX ADULT FANTASY STORE*. I pulled off (while others were still driving on the freeway, but I noticed school buses stopped as well as some large trucks - (a convoy snaked and quiet along the freeway). In the XXX parking lot nobody seemed really concerned - they were just heading to the huge doors with blackened glass, to do some fun Sunday evening shopping I guess.
I asked a couple of the more normal looking guys, if they felt it was safe to drive. All nodded a "Sure, whatever". I swung open the dark glass doors and a very pretty young blond woman was sitting up high behind the check out counter. Behind her, hanging from the ceiling was a larger than life size blow up doll (blown up), with her legs spread wide.
To talk to the very friendly clerk, I kept having to stare into the pink crotch of this doll, LOL. The clerk assured me it was OK to drive too, even though the counties they were calling out were adjacent to where we were. OHDEAR.
I drove the next 10 miles to west Memphis with lightening bolts bigger than the cartoon ones - all around. Each time one hit close, I contracted my shoulders so I'd feel safer and not get hit. The black skies were a heavy sinister looking wall. Images of Dorothy's little dog Toto being swept away, were foremost in my thoughts -
The first motel I came to in West Memphis was a Hampton Inn by the exit. The two women working the deserted desk, asked me if I wanted to "Get into a safe place with them!" One shared with us that her now dead father was "horrible" about these tornadoes - he would insist the whole family wait until the very last moment before going into the basement, because he wanted the thrill of seeing them close.
Just looking at her concerned frightened face (the TV blaring warnings inthe lobby), I started getting worried again, and then the hail started!! Fortunately I was parked under the carport in front of the hotel. The golf ball size chuncks of ice were flying everywhere outside with lightening making everything glow. I left the frightened girls to go outside and stand by the Jeep just being amazed at the hail and wind. I called Brock again to let him know I was safe (I guess) finally in Memphis.
Whew! There was lightening all night here last night - just before I fell asleep the room kept turning bright white. This morning the lobby TV has announced 30 people died in this storm and more deaths may be found.
Oh GEEEZ!
Elvis Lives! --> on to Graceland this morning.
