I have written a few articles for Associated Content/Yahoo Contributor Network over the past few years. Yahoo has stopped operating the site, so I have re-published a few pertinent pieces here.
Adventures in Babysitting
A weekend of babysitting takes a surprising turn. Imagine being caught in the middle of a tornado with two babies. Within minutes, several tornadoes touched down in Raleigh, North Carolina. Here is my eyewitness account.
On Saturday, April 16, 2011 around 4:30 PM, I was huddled in a pitch-black laundry room with a two-year-old girl and a four-year-old boy. A typical storm in Raleigh, North Carolina had turned into a weather event marked by the vestige of tornado activity. Within the span of minutes, several tornadoes touched down in Raleigh, North Carolina. In Wake County and the surrounding counties of Lee, Alamance, Cumberland and Person, trailers were ravaged, houses had their roofs blown clear off, and a nearby Lowe's Home Improvement store was flattened to the ground.
My Saturday began like no other, but the tornadoes had not started yet. My day began at 4:00 AM when I was awakened by a screaming toddler. Upon hearing her cry, I stumbled out of bed and got to work. I was much obliged to do so, being a faithful babysitter for couple in North Raleigh. The husband and wife were having a much deserved romantic getaway weekend in Charlotte, NC. Their children, aged two and four, were under my care.
Saturday morning was gray and overcast. In between episodes of Curious George and Thomas the Train Engine, I had the news on in the background while I cooked breakfast and lunch, played with the kids, and helped with school work. The afternoon was characterized by increasing winds and intermittent rain. When the boom of thunder sounded, the toddler ran into my arms. The four-year-old began to ask questions in a worried voice. In the background, I heard the News 14 reporter say something about thirteen tornadoes touching down, attempts to view the Downtown Raleigh camera failing, and more about technical difficulties. Then the lights went out.
I peered out the back patio door. In the distance, saw a ominous, dark gray billowing cloud with three or four wisps beginning to spiral down. I did not wait for those spirals to touch the ground. I quickly ushered the children into the laundry room, which is the innermost room and lowest point of the two-story house. "What about my toys," the four-year-old boy asked. I said something along the lines of "this is not the time to be worried about your toys." The children were oblivious. I let them play with my cell phone, the only source of light in the dark room.
Curiosity got the best of me and I ordered the kids to stay in inside the laundry room as I ventured out into the living room. Since all the living room windows were veiled with curtains, I could not see what was happening. My eyes darted around the room and landed on the Southwest facing window. I approached it quickly and hastily yanked the curtain back. The sky was a wicked witch-esque green.
I began to shake, taking one or two steps back in shock. I finally came to my senses and bolted into the kitchen, grabbing an arm full of snacks that were sitting on the counter. Remembering, the little boy's inquiry, I scooped up an Iron Man figurine and hightailed it to the laundry room. In retrospect, those last two actions made no sense whatsoever, so maybe was not fully there yet. Before closing the laundry room door, quickly glanced at the Southwest window - I could literally see the wind.
I cast the food and toy upon the laundry room floor and crouched down in between the washer and dryer with the kids. I hugged the baby girl and little boy tightly. Covering them with as much as my body as I could. The layout of the laundry room is about ten by five feet. There are three doors leading to the following areas: garage, living room and drying room. I sat on the floor huddled with the children, one hand grasping knob of the door leading to the drying room. The crashing sound of the wind banging on the garage door became louder and louder.
What does one say in a time such as this? Initially, a quiet but panicked "oh my god" escaped from my mouth and then I remembered the one who upholds all things by the word of His power. Next, I said "Jesus", not as a curse word as it is commonly used, but in a spirit of hope, endurance, and need of the strong hand and outstretched arm of God.
When the devastation was over, I ordered the kids to stay in the laundry room and ventured into other rooms to survey any damage to the house. I saw broken windows, large wrought iron lounge chairs that were no longer housed inside the once-screened patio, a threatening gap in the garage door, outside walls devoid of aluminum siding, and the most amazing sight of all: a softball-sized hole and a horizontal six foot crack in the foyer wall. The force of the tornado shot a shard of aluminum siding slam through the wall. There is a literal hole in the wall to the outside. The foyer floor was a mess of chipped paint, shattered glass, and of course, the renegade siding.
The children and I spent the remainder of the day at the home of gracious neighbors. Upon hearing that the neighborhood was closed to entrants because of a gas leak, I endeavored to meet up with the parents. They had taken a scenic train ride to Charlotte on Friday, so they had no immediate transport back to Raleigh. They were able to get back to Raleigh with the help of a relative. After navigating through back roads, I finally met up with them around 9:00 PM. Following the transfer of the kids, I was off to comfort my sister. Two trees had fallen on her house.
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