CHITCHAT CORNER
In the midst of a storm
LINDA K. BALLARD

Last week, Kilgore received severe storm damage due to high winds and hail. The damage received is still being reported, but to add a little humor to a bad situation, the following e-mail was received the next day:

"Last evening after the lights went out in the storm, we turned on the police scanner and listened to what was taking place in Kilgore.

At one point someone had reported a possible fire on Hale Street. The dispatcher came on and said, "All units go to Hell immediately."

About that time, a grand daughter looked wide-eyed and asked, "what did they just say? It was immediately explained the name of the street is H-a-l-e …the ice coming down was H-a-i-l…and the devil's place is H-el l.

There are those who attempt to look at things on the positive side as one gentleman with an uprooted tree in his yard looked at the hole left in the ground and said, "God knew I always wanted a fish pond." Then there are those like Denise Gee, a single mother and owner of Party Perfect. The wind blew the door open to her little place of business and it looks like a tornado was set loose inside. A party goods store carries primarily paper goods. Everything was destroyed, computers fried, and shelving left in total disarray. Denise had NO INSURANCE. Her livelihood was destroyed and she has been shell-shocked ever since. If anyone knows of some assistance she can receive, please call 903-987-4114.

Be cautious - Jimi Mankins had one person tell him he came home to find out of town roofers on top of his house without his permission. Try to make sure you know who you are dealing with when having the work done, stay with local people as much as you can.

Lawana Sistrunk and her two daughters, Rhonda Foster and Rene' Marler have recently returned from a trip to New York. "We had a wonderful time while there," said Lawana. "We did the normal tourist things - took in a show, went to China town, had delicious food in Little Italy, went to the St. Patrick's Day Parade, but the treat of the trip was when we went to Macey's for a little shopping trip and we just happened to be there for Macey's 150th flower show at the Herald Square. When we went inside it was heavenly fragranced with the scent of flowers. The first floor was decorated to this Garden Club member's delight!

"However, the trip home was an experience we will be talking about for a long time. The morning we left New York the winds were blowing about 40 miles an hour so we were late arriving for the connection into Dallas and all the flights were full. At this time we were getting worried because they were expecting a snow storm that night. These Texas girls didn't even have a coat as they were on the way to Dallas along with our entire luggage!

Staying over night with nothing but the over night kit from the airline (you know you can't take your makeup in your carry on bag, anymore), you can guess there was not much more than a toothbrush kit. We got a flight out the next morning and we stepped off the labeled

distressed passengers" from the way we looked. Husband Dale thought he was going to take our picture, but he was severely threatened. All in all, it was a great (and unusual) trip shared with my daughters." (Wow, Lawana, you might want to consider a different mode of transportation next time. Glad the fun part made up for the other.)

May His Love and Laughter Fill Your Hearts and Your Homes Throughout the Week. Share your stories with us by calling 903-984-2593 or by e-mail at chitchatlinda@aol.com.