What experiences we have had here in Hickman County since the Great Ice Storm of '09 battered us! For hours the night air was filled with the crackling of thousands of falling ice covered tree limbs interspersed with the sudden, piercing, snap of a shattered tree trunk or power pole. The tinkling sound of broken glass was everywhere as they fell.
Afterwards I saw some unbroken trees so heavily glazed with clear ice they gracefully curved over to touch the earth forming glittering crystal arcs in the dawn's light.
This ice, so pure, so beautiful, and so destructive had left us literally powerless. Without electricity many of us were reduced to a 19th century life of wood fires, kerosene lamps, and candles. And modern flashlights. And here, my friends, is where my new flashlight comes into this little story.
As the days passed without electric power I needed both fresh batteries and an extra small flashlight. That should have been a simple problem to solve, right?
Well, our local stores were soon stripped of such essential supplies. But a friend offered to go to Fulton to buy me a small flashlight. I foolishly agreed, forgetting his most unfortunate sense of humor.
Which flashlight did my possibly soon to be former friend bring me back? Which flashlight did he swear was the only one in Fulton left for sale at any price? Which flashlight did he so gleefully hand me?
That flashlight was small enough to keep in my jacket pocket. (Good.)
That flashlight used AA batteries of which I had a generous supply. (Excellent.)
That flashlight was made for a child. (I began to have misgivings at this point.)
That flashlight was pink & red & white and decorated with stars. (Oh, oh.)
That flashlight had a character from a classic cartoon movie on it. (Oh, no!)
That flashlight was a little girl's SLEEPING BEAUTY Disney movie model!
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That is not the end of the story of that flashlight. Each morning at 6 A.M.(!) my friend and I go to Nicky's for breakfast. I told the story of the flashlight to the guys there and they found it most amusing. The next day I decided to take the flashlight and show it to them in all its glory. One had with him that morning his four year old great granddaughter. Cutest little thing you ever saw.
So after the guys looked over the flashlight I gave it to the gal. She was delighted, gave me a nice little hug, and played with it constantly. The next morning great grandfather told me although they had power at her home she insisted on "reading" her book using the flashlight when she went to bed that night!
No ice storm adventures that include making a little child happy can be all bad, can it?
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