On Friday, April 8 I left North Carolina bound for Seattle, WA for a little fun. While I was gone, a major storm system came into Monroe, NC that almost blew our tent down. My boss told me they fought all night to keep the stakes in the ground and he thought that a couple of times they were going to lose it. Fortunately, the all night struggle wasn't futile as the next day our tent remained proudly standing, gently rippling in the wind. However, from having played this lot before, I knew the real trial lay ahead. This lot consists of the famous red clay dirt that is only found in the South. Once water mixes with it, an instant quagmire is created. While I waited patiently for my flight to return home, they had to pull everything out of the mud. We have 6 trucks & it took 5 hours to push & pull them out. I have been through this before & it's not any fun to be pushing on a truck & trailer thru something with the consistency of quicksand.
I felt helpless & worried as I waited for my flight. I had left my trailer behind when I went to the airport & did not know what to expect when I returned. As soon as I got back to my trailer, I did a quick inspection to see if there was any outside damage. Fortunately, the outside looked fine but when I went inside, it was a mess. The wind had rocked my trailer so bad that items I had on the walls had come down & it also caused the cap on my milk in the fridge to come off so there was a big puddle of spilled milk on the floor. Nothing worse than the smell of spoiled milk hitting you in the face. After cleaning it all up, I headed down the road to rejoin the show.
Yesterday, we were in North Wilkesboro, NC and once again we got hit by Mother Nature's fury. It had started raining Friday night & by 11 am Saturday, we were in gale like conditions. It wasn't raining that bad but the wind was so extreme that it made the tent billow out like an accordian. The tent poles were dancing like it was a hoedown. Fortunately, the ground was as solid as a rock and the stakes held. The weather cleared long enough for us to get the first show started & then about 15 minutes into it, the wind picked up again. My trailer rocked so bad that I hooked up my truck to give me some added weight & stability. I believe I have now experienced sheer terror. I can only thank God for protecting me, my family & friends during this horrific weather.
I know from reports that many families were not spared during this violent outbreak. In Sanford, NC, a town I played just last year, a tornado touched down and destroyed many buildings. While buildings can be replaced, it is the loss of life that is permanent. In Alabama and other states in the Southeast, at least 35 people are confirmed dead with the death toll likely to rise today after search parties clear away the rubble of demolished homes. I am left to contemplate why folks who live in much solider homes than my camper were taken but I was spared. I pray for guidance & understanding. Most of all, I pray for those that lost loved ones & are left to carry on. Life can be so cruel.
I am now staring out my window at a beautiful Sunday afternoon that gives no indication of the horrors experienced by so many yesterday. The show will go on but I am a changed person. I now realize there is a greater power that watches over us all, especially for those who work in a less stable environment that is the Outdoor Amusement Business & those who fight Mother Nature's wrath to earn a living.
Until later, God Bless, see you down the road...
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