Now the morning after

WE REMEMBER the man at the football game last fall. Was it October or November? It could have been September. The weather wasn’t cold yet, but summer was definitely over. He was wearing something with Vilonia printed on it. So we asked, how y’all doin’ in Vilonia?

He knew what we meant. There was no need to mention the tornado that swept through the town in April of 2011. It destroyed homes and lives and everything else in its miles-long path. How y’all doing in Vilonia? was enough.

Fine, the man said. Just fine. Folks’ll come together after those things, ya know?

Yes, sir. We know.

When morning finally, finally came yesterday, and folks in Arkansas-and the country-could see what had happened the night before, the first thought that occurred to many of us was: Oh, no, not Vilonia again!

Yes, Vilonia, again. And minutes before that, Mayflower. All the way up to little El Paso, Ark., and everything in between. They say this tornado might be classified as an EF5. The killer twister that hit in 2011 was an EF2.

Monday morning, helicopters flew over most of Faulkner County-and north Pulaski County, too. The governor was up there somewhere, along with National Guard and FEMA types. Cops were posted around heavily damaged places to keep people, however well-meaning, from stepping on downed power lines.

Volunteers with chainsaws and lots of other tools always come out to help after these things-but they were told to stand down for now. At least until the disaster sites were given the all-clear. Just about the only thing that could make matters even worse would be to lose another life in the clean-up.

But you could spot some things from afar . . . . You might could say that house over there was destroyed. But you’d have to assume it was once a house. What’s to say it wasn’t a chicken coop? Or was yesterday. Maybe it was a store, a gas station. . . . Only the folks who once knew it might be able to identify the remains, if anybody could.

Somebody on the radio said emergency crews were going house to house. And foundation to foundation.

Foundation to foundation. That was a new phrase for us. A phrase for where houses once stood.

DRIVING back from Vilonia, down twisting Highway 107 (Interstate 40 was closed), somebody on the radio ran down a list of people and organizations who were collecting water, canned goods, diapers, even stuffed animals for the survivors.

The usual suspects were out in force-the Salvation Army, Red Cross, and a long list of churches, always the churches. All were rushing aid to those who needed it, and how. Not to mention the big companies that were donating food. The local hardware store chimed in, saying its chainsaws were available for the duration, no charge. And then there was the pub in downtown Little Rock that was collecting stuff, too. That’s Arkansas-drunk or sober we’re always quick to help.

Vilonia will rebuild. Folks’ll come together after those things, ya know? Vilonia will. So will Mayflower and little El Paso, too. That’s what folks do. And they’ll do it again when the next disaster strikes, God forbid, and it will.

Here’s hoping those little towns in the hills between Little Rock and the beginnings of the Ozarks get to live a few decades-or even a few generations-before they have to rebuild still again. Keep the good thought. Us, we’re thinking about all the good people rushing to help.