Book 3- Annie Adams-College Years

Annie Adams-College Years

                                                                                         Chapter 31

                                                                              The Waterbury Flood

     Cela and her friends elected to walk the two blocks to school the next day.  The sky was filled with angry black clouds, hardly any light shone down from the heavens at all.  The weather forecaster said it was definitely going to rain, and rain hard.  But it wasn't supposed to start for another forty five minutes.

     It was now seven thirty and Cela's friends Sydney, Eleanor and Dee had just walked in her front door all dressed in their rain coats and boots.  "Now right to school girls," Annie told them.  I don't want any of you catching cold because you got soaked."  "We will Mom.  Go right to school that is." Cela told her.

     She then gave her new mom a kiss on the cheek and then kissed her baby brother and sister who sat in their bouncy seats, (they actually had just begun making the seats move),  And both of the children looked up at their big sister and smiled.  "See ya later!" Cela hollered as she and her friends raced out the door.

     The students at school were amazed at Dee's new "look," and as the day wore on, even more surprised at the change in her attitude towards them; she was so friendly now.  Dee's teachers were very pleased too at her politeness and her new work ethic, as she did her studies, and for the first time ever, raising her hand to answer a question put to the class at large.

     After Biology class the girls were walking down the hallway on their way to English, when they saw Principal Newman coming the other way.  He didn't recognize Dee at first, in fact he asked, after saying "Hello.  Who is your new friend?"  Dee giggled.  It's me!  Principal Newman; Delorus Grappy.  Only I go by "Dee" now."

     "Oh my!  I really didn't know you.  You look very nice."  "Thank you sir," Dee said shyly.  "I hope you have made a change on the inside as well," he added with a raised brow.  Dee grinned and said, "Don't worry.  You'll have no more problems from me."  The principal beamed at her.  "I'm so happy for you....Dee.  You girls have a good day," he said, continuing his walk down the hall.

     "I wanted to tell him it's like when Saul saw the light on the Damascus Road.  And then heard the voice of Jesus speaking to him.  And afterward God changed Saul's name to Paul, because of the change in his heart."  "I'm sure God will give you opportunities to tell many people what you just told us," Cela told her.  A tear appeared in Dee's eye and she smiled and nodded at her friend.

     "We need to get to English," Eleanor said,  "We have to turn in that book report," she moaned.  "I hope I did alright with it," she fretted as the girls hurried off to class.  The rain had come within a hour of school staring.  But around two o'clock in the afternoon when Cela, Eleanor, Sydney and Dee were in study hall a message came over the P.A. system.

     "CLASSES WILL BE DISMISSED FOR THE DAY!  A DANGEROUS STORM IS EXPECTED IN A HOUR'S TIME!  HIGH WINDS AND WIDESPREAD FLOODING IS COMING!  CALL YOUR PARENTS OR GUARDIANS NOW FOR PICKUP.  THANK YOU.

     "Tell your parents that my Dad will take you all home," Cela told her friends.  It made the most sense to Cela since her friends lived within a couple blocks of her home.  She got on her cell and called her father.  It rang once and Len answered,  "I'm outside in a line of cars waiting hon."  She told him she said her friends could ride with them too.  "That's fine.  Come quickly.  It's nasty out here."