3 People You Meet in a Storm #3
The weather report indicated that a tornado was headed towards Edmond on the north side of OKC. Since we didn’t have a storm shelter and we were an hour ahead of its landing time, we decided to drive to the south side of the city to Kathy’s parents’ house. We watched expert storm chasers and meteorologists track the storm as it continued to turn and turn and turn…by miles and miles…
Until we realized that it was headed straight for my in-laws’ area.
So, we scurried across the street and descended into their neighbor’s old style, large storm cellar…
With 22 people, 2 dogs, and 1 cat!
Large as it was, it was not big enough for this crowd of people desperate to get out of harm’s way. As neighbors from the cul-de-sac looked around, we knew we were the ones who didn’t belong. This wasn’t our neighborhood, and I feared that we would be the first ones asked to leave if it got any fuller.
In the end, the tornado passed about a mile from my in-laws’ house. So, we learned that had we stayed put, we would have been better off. And, we learned that we were grateful for the kindness of a neighbor, who to us, was a stranger…as were most of the other people in the storm cellar.
When storms hit, you first check the weather and see your favorite Chief Meteorologist or Expert Guide. If the storm is threatening or severe, most folks hunker down with family or friends. But, we also receive guidance or assistance from strangers. (Hopefully yours doesn’t come in the same form that ours did!)
If you live alone, you may find that a postal worker, delivery driver, or other helpful soul offers a hand. When the storms strike and damage results, you often see complete strangers coming to clean up and get the victims back on their feet. You may well have been those strangers for someone else.
Whether the storm you are thinking of is literal or metaphorical, these are the kinds of strangers who are nice to meet in a storm.
Worth Repeating
Great perils have this beauty, that they bring to light the fraternity of strangers.
-Victor Hugo
