Morrilton

MORRILTON, Ark. — It occurred to me for the first time as I drove by Mayflower today en route to Morrilton to watch the Class 3A track championships that I had never before seen a town that had recently been destroyed by a tornado. Goddamn, man, it was fucking bizarre. They suspect it was an F4, or the next to strongest variety, and I'm telling you, it looked as if someone built a bulldozer roughly the size of three Astrodomes and drove it right across Mayflower, then across I-40 toward Vilonia. Huge trees, every tree, were down everywhere. All the houses and buildings were blown to bits. BJ told me Sunday that he couldn't see how anyone survived, and now I know what he meant. I'm going to Russellville to watch a meet on Thursday, and am considering a drive through Vilonia, though I might consider against. I'm still a little spooked over the sight of Mayflower. This afternoon, between prelims and finals at Devil Dog Stadium, I walked for 1:02:20 through completely unfamiliar neighborhoods, that ranged in a matter of a few blocks from shotgun shacks to the opposite. I saw lots of people I knew at the meet, and was entertained throughout.