No Shelter Here

The St. Louis tornado has me thinking unkind thoughts about Fredericktown, MO. Three days before our big tornado hit a few miles north of the house, Big Guy, Birdie and I were driving home from college visits in Arkansas. At 7:45 p.m., a monster storm of wind and rain hit Fredericktown as we were driving past. Rain and wind shook and smacked our car as the radio broadcast tornado warnings. It was too dark to see anything except sheets of rain lit up by the headlights. To find shelter better than the car, we stopped at a convenience store just off the interstate. As we prepared to dash inside, an employee turned off the outside light and locked the door. That's how I knew it was 7:45, I looked at the clock in the car. We drove into Fredericktown and found another convenience store. For a few minutes, we waited out the storm by the gas pumps. Big Guy, being practical, filled the tank. The storm grew increasingly violent and then the electricity died. We decided it would be safer inside the store. We made it in the front door, only to be told that with the power off, they were locking the doors and we needed to leave. The store employees didn't kick us out, but they made it plain that we should go. After a few minutes, the storm lessened and we left. But I don't have kind thoughts about Fredericktown. The city claims natural beauty and historic splendor. That's not what I saw.