03/30/05 - Thursday

((Driving somewhere inconsequential with a thousand other things clamouring for my attention))
"Mom... do you know where the shelter is?"
"What shelter?"
"The SHELTER!"
"What shelter?"
(we go back and forth like this for a minute or two til she finally gets frustrated & gives an actual description)
"The one where you go to if there's a lot of traffic & a lot of water!"
(Wondering where this came from)
"Oh, you mean the Emergency Shelter? Where you go if there's a big storm?"
"Yeah...do you know where it is?"
"Uhh.... I don't think there is one in Belleville, hon. (remembering frantic calls to neighbors at an obscene time of night when B was itty bitty) There's one in Freeburg, so if we were w/ J&S, we could go there then, but most people go to their basement." (mental note to check with town officials again)
"Do you know where it is?" (persistent, isn't she?)
"Why do you ask?"
"Well... Hank & Bobby Hill did that. The red phone was ringing and he answered it and the guy told him what to do & what not to do and there was big, BIG water... umm (stumped for word & searching for description).. like the sea!"
((Oh, brother... the TV monster hits again.))
"That's a "flood" honey. when there's big big water like the sea, that's called a flood."
"Oh! (great relief in voice over finding the right word) Well. Hank & Bobby Hill & there were lots of traffic and a .. a.. FLOOD... blah blah blah...."

Well... at least it's USEFUL information!