The Storm

Margaret heard the rain starting to fall at a very slow pace. “I guess the storm is about to begin,” she said. The weather report predicted a storm that afternoon. She remembered what her mom had called “the storm of all storms” that she experienced when she was only ten years old.

“Mom was right,” she thought aloud. “That was a storm that will never be equaled,” she said, now talking to her dog, Benny.

Margaret was now 22 years old and married. Her husband, Rick, was out of town on business. So, Benny was her only companion this afternoon.

Margaret continued reminiscing aloud, “That day started just like any other. The sun was bright, and the sky was blue, and I played outside, laughing with my friends. We rode our bikes, chased each other, and talked about our summer plans. But as the afternoon approached, the sky turned dark.

“Mom called me inside, saying, ‘There’s a storm coming.’ I sensed a little worry in her voice, but because I loved storms, I felt a tingle of excitement. They were loud and powerful, like a superhero showing off its strength.

“As the wind began to howl, I watched the trees sway back and forth. The first raindrops fell, then suddenly, it was as if someone had opened a floodgate. Rain poured down, and the wind howled like a wild animal. My heart raced with both excitement and fear. The world outside changed.

“The storm grew stronger, and I could hear the thunder rumbling almost like a giant’s growl. Lightning flashed and the lights inside our house flickered and soon the power went out. I was afraid, but Mom lit candles. The soft glow made the house feel warm and safe.

“But, outside, things were different. Cracks of thunder shook the house, and the wind screamed. I peered out at the chaos. Branches snapped from trees, and I saw our neighbor’s fence blow down.

“As the storm finally began to lessen, I felt a sense of relief. We went outside, and what I saw was shocking! The street was filled with debris. Trees lay across the road, and water was pooled everywhere.

“It took days for us and our neighbors and city workers to clear the streets.

“Benny, why have I been telling you all this?

“But there was one funny thing. When we went back to the kitchen, we saw a Mason jar of green beans that Mom had canned. It was lying on the floor in front of the pantry. We assumed that all the vibrations made it slide to the edge and fall. Unbelievably the jar didn’t break. Mom took that as a sign to have those green beans with our dinner that night.

“I’m still talking to you aren’t I, Benny?”

Benny looked up with his head tilted sideways as if he was confused.

“But that was ‘the storm of all storms,’” Margaret thought now silently to herself. “There will never be another one like it.”

Just then, there was a super loud CLAP of thunder! The whole house seemed to SHAKE!

For about ten seconds several heavy drops of rain began to fall, and then suddenly, just as with the “storm of all storms,” it was as if someone had opened a floodgate.

She glanced at Benny, who lifted his head and looked up at her with big, worried eyes. He had a way of sensing her feelings. Margaret knelt beside him and stroked his fur. “I know, Benny. I’m nervous too,” she whispered. She decided it would be a good idea to prepare for the storm.

In the kitchen, she filled a big bowl with water and placed it in front of Benny. Then she opened some cabinets to check for supplies. She found some candles and a flashlight. In the pantry, she found a few snacks, just in case the power went out, she thought. After gathering her supplies, she went to the living room and turned on the battery radio to listen to the news. The announcer's voice crackled with warnings, urging everyone to stay indoors.

Margaret's imagination began to run wild. “What if this is another storm of storms and trees were knocked down? What if the roof of her house leaked? What if….” And then she realized she was worrying about things that might not happen.

She tried to shake off her worries, but they were hard to ignore, as the wind picked up and the sound was loud and frightening.

Margaret felt a shiver run down her spine.

Suddenly she heard a loud CRACK and then a THUD!

She rushed to the front window and lifted one of the blind’s slats to see that a large branch of the oak tree across the street had snapped off and fallen on the car parked on the street.

“Oh, my goodness! Is this going to be as bad as it was when I was ten?”

Although she began to get really worried, she realized there was nothing to do except wait it out. So, she went back to the living room and sat on the couch. She patted the empty seat beside her, encouraging Benny to jump up, which he eagerly did. Then she began to pet him, and he lay his head across her lap as it calmed him. It also calmed Margaret.

The fierceness of the storm lasted another 30 minutes before it began to quiet down and the rain stopped. When Margaret opened the front door, there was some debris on the street, but not nearly as much as she remembered from when she was ten.

“Okay, Benny,” she began, “let’s put away the candles and flashlight and fix some dinner.”

After gathering those items and putting them away, she decided to leave Benny’s big water bowl out for the evening.

But when she went to the kitchen, she laughed at what she saw at the pantry. It was a can of Del Monte green beans on the floor. “Well, Benny,” she said with a chuckle. “I guess I know what side dish I’m having for dinner tonight.”