Suddenly empty pots began flying. A gust of wind caught a tomato plant from ten-year-old Joel’s hand and blew it away. Mama glanced at the sky and gasped. Tornado!
“Run for the basement!” Mama yelled.
“But where’s Daddy?” Joel cried out in alarm. He had never been so frightened in his life.
Some details have been changed, but basically this is what took place on the author’s farm on May 21, 2004.