STORMS

2-22-09...STORMS

I used to be afraid of storms. Seems the lightening and wind never bothered me, it was the thunder. But I think what scared me the most was the storm cellar my parents took us to when it was storming. They would bundle Norman and I up and carry us up to the corner house to the closest storm cellar. I can still feel the bouncing as my Daddy ran with me. I don't think Norman minded it much he just didn't like to be woke up. Daddy and Mama would wear rubber boots because that old cellar always got water in the floor. It sat there and got stinky. The smell in there was almost as scary to me as anything. Well not quiet. There were frogs and lizards, and who knows what else down it that dark old hole. The door was pulled up and there were about six steps straight down. Mama and Daddy carried us down there real fast like and someone would shut that big old door behind us. The sound of the door slamming down was so frightening to me. It crashed down and then bounced a few times while the tin on it would clank and clang. There would be a whoosh and my ears always popped. Someone usually had a coal oil lantern for light. But that thing cast eerie shadows on everything and I'd clinch my eyes shut so tight it hurt.
On each side of the small room were concrete benches built in where we all sat. Once I touched the wall behind me and it felt slimy and cold. I jumped almost out of Daddy's lap and shrieked. The thunder sound in there was deafening and Daddy would hold his hands over my ears. Daddy told me many times, "Honey that is just God laughing as he rolls a potato wagon over Heaven". Of course I trusted God and I believed my Daddy, but I just hated that darned ol' cellar.
There were others in there who were adults including my Mama, who were probably more scared than I was. It was mostly the sounds, smells, and critters, that I was more scared of.
One night a woman said, "Oh my goodness, I'm so afraid something will land on the door and we can't get out". Now let me tell you from then on I did everything possible to not have to go in that cellar. I was scared out of my skin. "Will it Daddy, will we get trapped in here"? "No Clydene", he always said. When they thought the storm was over someone would peek out the door and check. Sometimes they would say "It's OK" but sometimes they would close the door with another clang and we'd be there for a while longer.
I said many times "Lets don't go there anymore" but we did of course. It wouldn't have taken much wind I suspect to blow our house down on top of us but I wasn't told that little bit of info. For obvious reasons.
Well I never got over hating that storm cellar and I vowed that when I was old enough to be my own boss I'd never set a foot in one of them durned things again. And By Golly I haven't. Nope! I love storms and if it is daylight I watch them. If it is dark I go to sleep listening to the rain on the roof, and listening to the thunder and seeing the lightening flash in the windows. And I recall My Mama and Daddy wanting to protect us the best they knew how. When it is storming my Heart over flows with love and gratitude for my wonderful, loving Parents. YEP! I've been so Blessed!!!!