by Mary Jo

Rob moved down to Columbus in September. He stayed with his friend, Kevin, until he got settled with a job and an apartment. About the middle of October he called and said that he had found an apartment and was coming home to finish packing. He asked us to help him move. Of course we said yes and everything went typically Kemper from then on.

The day Rob was moving was chaotic. First Rob waited until the last minute to pack. So I helped him pack while his father loaded items in his car and in the truck. It took half the day to pack and load everything. We left around three. Things were going smoothly until we were about a half hour from Columbus. Then the torrential rains began.

Rob reached Columbus ahead of us, because he drives like a maniac, and called to direct us to his apartment. While we were struggling to find our way in the downpour the hail began. Of course it wasn’t small hail; it was large golf ball, damage causing hail. We pulled into the parking lot across from his apartment to sit out the storm. Chip counted dings every time a golf ball, I mean hail stone hit. Then street light began going out around us. We looked up and down the street and saw darkness. We called Rob and asked him if he had a flashlight. Of course he did, packed somewhere.

When the rain stopped we took the one flashlight from the truck and began hauling items up two flights of stairs, in the dark, in an unfamiliar building. After two hours of hauling boxes the lights still hadn’t come on. We never did see Rob’s apartment that night and he slept on the floor because we couldn’t see to put the bed up. His lights did not come back on until late the next day.

Our trip back home was the perfect ending to our day. As soon as we got on the road it began raining and hailing again. All the radio stations were broadcasting Tornado watches and there were reports of Tornados touching down in the area. They were advising motorists to get off the roads. Chip just kept on driving while I prayed. It was a kiss the ground moment when we made it home.

Now it is three years later. Rob has finished school and has established himself at his job. He has decided it is time to move out of his student apartment and into a townhouse. When we asked him if he wanted help moving he said, "NO!"

I WONDER WHY?