Another Janet adventure

Who doesn’t love a good adventure story … you know, with thunder, lightning, and crazy winds? That is, unless you are part of the adventure.

Welcome to another Janet Hart Leonard adventure. And no, I can’t make this stuff up. This story has seven other participants, and they will tell you I am not exaggerating at all.

On a rare evening when all the Leonard and Alexander families were available for dinner, my daughter made reservations at a Sicilian restaurant in Ybor City. It was halfway between where everyone lives. Reservations are not always easy to get. We lucked out … so we thought.

As Chuck and I drove southwest on 275, we saw huge lightning strikes in the distance. When we arrived and were seated, the very engaging young server took our drink order while we looked over the Sicilian menu. I couldn’t pronounce most of the menu items, but the descriptions made me hungrier. The Spaghetti Nana Maria sounded perfect along with a house salad.

As our drinks arrived, we saw it had started to rain, and the rain was coming in sideways. The wind picked up, and the sky looked ominous. We were all glad we got inside before the torrential rain began.

KABOOM!

Along with the loud noise came lights out, then on, then out. Someone said, “Oh, the generator kicked on.” Outside, it looked like a monsoon had hit. We were all glad we did not have to be out in that weather. Hold that thought.

Emily asked if we could have some bread. The server said, “Well, the oven is not working.”

We heard the manager call a meeting for the servers. We knew it was not good.

We were then told that lightning had hit the transformer and that the kitchen had no power. We were also told we had to evacuate.

You need to understand that it was literally a monsoon. Just ask my daughter, Emily, who never exaggerates.

As people walked to the entrance, they asked the staff, “How can you send us out in that weather?” Most lingered at the entrance. We were among them. Parking is across the four-lane, very busy street. You need to know that all the stoplights were out.

After a bit, it wasn’t lightning, so my son-in-law, Drew, said he would go get his car and take us to ours. He was our hero.

The water in the street reached our ankles. We clutched the car doors to keep from being swept away. When you are older, it does not take much to lose your balance.

As Chuck got into the passenger seat, the cushion he takes to restaurants slipped out of the car. At that point, the water was rushing down the street … as was his cushion. This cushion is from the 1997 Final Four Basketball Tournament. Chuck kept the scoreboard at the RCA Dome during Arizona’s win over Kentucky after Minnesota and North Carolina were eliminated. It was a much-cherished souvenir.

Just getting out of Drew’s Toyota and into our Ford was a challenge. Again, we waded through ankle-deep water. We were drenched. It was as if a bucket of water had been poured over both of us. We were wet, hungry, and disappointed.

Emily had been trying to find another restaurant for us to go to. We soon learned that all the restaurants in the area were without power. We were literally up a creek without a paddle or food.

Sadly, we all went home. Chuck and I ended up at Chili’s near his house. We split a hamburger and a salad. Our taste buds were disappointed, but we were starving by then.

It was a night to remember. My grandson, Aiden, said, “Grandma, you need to write about this.”

BTW, that cushion? We have another hero in the family. Aiden saw it floating down the street, stopped traffic, and ran after it. He may be a quarterback, but he made the catch of the night in Ybor City.

Later, we found out the wind was measured at 72 miles per hour. The weather forecast was for a 20 percent chance of thunderstorms. Oops.

And yes, I can’t make this stuff up.

Janet Hart Leonard can be contacted at janethartleonard@gmail.com or followed on Facebook or Instagram (@janethartleonard). She is the recipient of the Reporter’s Spring 2025 Ink-Stained Wretch award. Visit janethartleonard.com.