Are We Still in Kansas?

Five years ago, Lexi was recruited to help the Chattanooga Symphony Opera (CSO) promote their instrumental score of the Wizard of Oz (WOZ) while the much-loved film played on a screen behind them. On March 2, 2012, Lexi’s new “Dorothy” – who Lexi knew from a different role in the previous production of WOZ – came to pick her up in a Pedi cab. They were to travel the streets and businesses of Chattanooga for the CSO promotion. On that day, one of Lexi’s life-long dreams came true: she was allowed in a restaurant!

Something else happened that day, too, while Lexi and her “Dorothy” were riding around town. As the line goes in the play, “The wind began to blow.” The darkening sky showed tinges of green, with swirling, ominous clouds. People looked up at the sky, stopped them and asked, “How did you manage the weather?” before running for shelter. Meanwhile, I was shut in the basement of the church, praying that Lexi didn’t get whisked off to Oz.

Note: Multiple tornadoes touched down in the Tennessee Valley area that day, doing extensive damage.