It was on a cold winter Tuesday morning that I started out for work as usual.  The weatherman said there was going to be a snowstorm later that day, possibly after 2 pm. We normally do not get snow in Central Alabama, so there was not much to worry about.

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I usually leave home to go to work around 8 am, and I typically get back home by 1 pm or 2 pm. I followed my normal routine and got on Highway 280 by 8:15 am, the traffic was as usual, and the temperature was above 32 degrees. By 8:30 am, the temperature started to drop; I was 5 minutes from work by this time.  Suddenly, I noticed that sleet had begun falling, and it was sticking as fast as it was falling.  I was alarmed when I started to turn around, and within minutes the sleet had turned into a sheet of ice, then traffic came to a standstill.

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I exited highway 280 and entered interstate 459; traffic became slower and slower, there were big trucks and all types of cars moving at a snail’s pace.  It was then that I knew that I was not going to make it back home; for hours, I was trying to get to a safe place.  The radio program helped tell people how to drive on ice, so I shifted my SUV as instructed. I then looked for a place to get off the road. I spotted Taziki’s restaurant and was able to pull off the road.  There were hundreds of people, cars, trucks, and SUVs. There were many bad accidents; cars were sliding over the road, big trucks were blocking the road, and they could not move. In many places, only one lane was passable.

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By noon, I was able to enter Taziki’s; it was filled with people seeking shelter. By this time, the government had declared a state of emergency due to black ice. As we all sat in the restaurant, Taziki’s staff and management informed us that they would feed each one of us.  There were also emergency responders, and some people who sought shelter had trucks that could be driven in the snow. They were able to help pick up people who were stranded. I noticed three employees stayed; these gentlemen were organized as they worked together to ensure everyone was fed, and NO ONE would be turned away. They took food orders from adults down to children and babies. They told us what time the kitchen was going to close. The State Troopers came back to check on us and continued to help move people in and out.

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I was amazed as the three men who elected to stay did such an excellent job; it was then when the thought came to me A WELL TEAM WORKS WELL TOGETHER. I said to myself, that’s a well team.  We were stranded at the restaurant, so we all stayed the night.  The next morning, the State Troopers told us they were going to move us to a nearby church that could accommodate many people. Taziki’s fed us breakfast, and then we were moved to The Highland Church. Three days had passed before I was able to return home. The snowstorm was not supposed to come to Central Alabama, but it not only arrived, but it also covered Central and South Alabama, and it lasted for days. Now when I hear that it may snow or sleet, I stay at home (smile).