I went to WalMart to pick up a few odds and ends.

Indiana was under a severe storm alert.

When I got to the parking lot I sat there watching the storm roll in, trying to get some lightning pictures with my camera (only one relatively successful one. Need to remember my tripod next time). 

By the time I finally headed inside the tornado sirens were going off and the wind was kicking up something fierce.  I headed inside as two guys walked up with a hard-top from a truck bed between them – cracked and ripped off the truck it had been on.

I heard the manager on the radio telling other employees to make sure no one else left the store by any door and to get everyone to the middle of the store.

Everyone in the store – full carts, empty carts, paid for bagged up products, and employees alike gathered in the middle of the store.  Some people were freaking out crying, others  just leaning on clothes racks bored…and just about everyone on cell phones.

Twenty minutes later we got the all-clear and the manager called off the “code black.” 

A tornado had touched down a little north of us and was heading right toward us (according to NWS)…but we didn’t get hit. 

When I left WM about 30 minutes later there were cars lined up in the no parking zone, people on phones with their insurance agents.  One car with the rear windshield blown out, the truck that had lost the bed top, and a couple others. 

So tonight was not my average trip to WM.  It was far different…