Everyone in downtown Birmingham immediately tried to rush out the doors to go to the grocery store, pick up their child, or just get home safe before it got bad. However, what nobody knew was it already was bad and all those people would soon form the worst traffic jam Birmingham has ever seen. What followed next was absolute chaos. I stayed at work until 300 and attempted to drive home, spending 45 minutes in the car going 5 blocks before I committed to sleeping in my office. When I returned several people in my office remained and Southside Birmingham was a solid sheet of ice. We figured this out when we walked to Fuego a couple of blocks away to get dinner. You had to watch your step very precisely. I can't believe not a single one of us fell. I retreated to my office and was glad I had a warm spot to spend the night as I watched the live stream from Fox 6 News of hundreds of abandoned cars and people still stuck on I-65. Every major road in Birmingham was in a "gridlock" as they kept insisting on calling it. Basically a parking lot. I worried about all those people stuck in their cars, walking to a safe place; and was grateful for the kindness of strangers that helped. At 1100 I laid on my floor with a Boppy pillow I found in our clinic and my coat as I blanket. I slept three hours and then since I was getting little to no rest just got up. I spent the next few hours checking the weather, scanning Pinterest, checking James Spann's Facebook page, and watching American Psycho on my computer. (#ihavetoreturnsomevideotapes) At 7 AM I decided to walk to the Waffle House with my friend to assess the situation. Ghost town and solid ice again, plus the Waffle House was closed. I had kept a positive attitude up until this point, but slowly I became more and more down hearted regarding my chances of getting home. Further, let me just clue in people what not to say to someone who is iced in at their place of employment.
- Traffic tracker lady if you tell me one more time to stay at home and enjoy my family I will come down to Fox 6 News and punch you in the face. I am not at home; therefore, I can't enjoy anything, especially anything at home. In addition, I'm all about people helping people, but I want to see the traffic where I can get home, not the man at Home Depot in Pelham giving away free coffee. Report the friggin' traffic.
- If you are from a state that experiences cold weather frequently I don't want to hear about how you are an expert at driving in icy conditions and that this isn't anything compared to (fill in cold weather state).
- Please don't tell me how lucky I am not to be stuck in my car. I realize this and I'm thankful, but I'm also pissed and got three hours of sleep last night on my office floor. I want to go home.
- Please if you are on Facebook don't make fun of how Birmingham is in a gridlock because of 2 inches of snow. It must be nice to drive home to your warm nice home and not have hundreds of 18-wheelers and abandoned cars blocking your way, not have to leave your babies at daycare or school because you just can't get to them. Geez Louise, have a little compassion.
- Plus, while I am scanning Facebook to determine what roads I can take home without having a wreck or being stuck in traffic for hours on end, I noticed all these people, cute children, and families having "so much fun" on their "snow day". "Fun" not quite the word I would use for my "snow day". Hey, at least someone enjoyed it because I sure didn't.
- This is unrelated, but you telling James Spann, Mickey Ferguson, or any other meteorologist how poorly they forecast the weather does not change the situation and some comments are just downright rude. Everyone makes mistakes and I am sure they feel bad enough already without your two cents.
I made it home after almost 3 hours in the car and Lucy appeared not phased by my absence. So all in all everything worked out. I am so thankful to be home tonight, but I am still praying for all those stuck somewhere, especially my buddies at UAB Sparks Clinics. Thanks to everyone that prayed for me today or called to check on me, even though I might have been grumpy. When I logged in Facebook today to check the roads this was the first post I saw and I thought if was fitting for today.
"Safe? ... Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you."
-CS Lewis
Remember God is GOOD all the time! And a big Happy Birthday to my brother! He spent his birthday stuck in a Quality Inn in Anniston, but I hope it was happy anyways! Stay safe Birmingham!
No comments:
Post a Comment