1:27 A.M.
I can�t sleep.
Did you know that lightning holds1 billion volts of electrical energy? Well, Florida is the lightning capital of the world!
We learn something new every day!
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You would think by that last comment that I'm watching the learning channel, but Noooooo.....
I�m up watching a rerun of �Roseanne�. No show reminds me more of my childhood. It�s the episode where tornados come close to hitting their house.
How this show brings back more memories of middle school.
*Throw on some Soul Asylum, as they sing, "Run Away Train" for the sound track of this silly memory.*
I was in 6th grade French class. I can�t speak a word of French, but I can clearly recall the day we were held hostage in class for 4 hours after the final bell had rang.
Let me start off by saying, 6th grade lacked some of the common freedoms that 7th grade held in store. We were limited to 4 bathroom breaks a semester, so you are advised to choose your emergencies wisely. The day I had taken my first bathroom break all year, was very windy to say the least!
I walked out of class and noticed the dark clouds building to the north of the school. I had never seen such dark clouds. I came out of the bathroom and the sky started to turn a shade of green.
I returned to class and announced that there was going to be a storm. Almost instantly, we were evacuated as advised by a message over the loud speaker. In the middle of 7th period the pricipal told all teachers to evacuate the portables to seek safer shelter.
Frenchy then gathered up the class and lead us into the boys bathroom.
It was so hot and humid. My hair was sticking to the back of my neck, and I only wished I could take off my shirt like some of the boys had done.
Of coarse Brandon had to use the facilities. He announced that he was going to go ahead. The teacher threatened to send him to the principals office the instant he whipped it out. He must have figured that the principals office was still better than sitting in the hot and sticky bathroom.
He used to bathroom, but surprisingly she didn�t send him away.
I wasn�t scared. I was actually excited.
�BRING IT!�
�BRING ON THE FUREY!!�
The power went out, the lightning and the wind raged out of control. Girls began crying, students started talking about all the things they wanted to do if they lived through the storm.
I laughed.
I was like the guys. We didn�t take the storm seriously. We made jokes and laughed to cover up any fear that was building after watching the girls have hissy fits.
After the storm calmed down a bit, our teacher transferred us to a larger building. We all gathered up in Mr. Stuarts art supply closet.
We were kept at school much longer than necessary, but they didn�t want to risk any accidents after hearing continuous sirens coming from every direction of Dunedin.
The drive home was the worst part of the entire day.
Mom drove up to the side of the school in her yellow 1970-somethin� AMC station wagon.
We treaded through water to get in the car and she had a fit. The weight of our bodies was enough to stall her piece of junk in the puddle it resided in.
After a few tries the car started up again and we headed to the elementary school to pick up my sister.
Due to the cars need to stall every 5 seconds, It took us more than 45 minutes to go 3 miles.
The power was out for the entire night, so we ended up eating at a McDonalds that had been working off emergency generators.
A few weeks after the storm, mom�s car took a permanent vacation and she drove my grandfathers red AMC station wagon until we could get her car replaced.
Mom never really had a nice car. She has always drove a piece of shit car.
I remember when Adam Sandler sang about a piece of shit car, and to this day that song makes me think of moms' old yellow AMC station wagon.
When you can walk away from such a disaster you start to think storms are some what exciting.
I live in Florida, and I'm lucky that I haven't experienced any permanent damage from severe thunderstorms.
At this very moment, the storm at the school is definitely the most memorable storm that hit Dunedin in the 90�s.
