Out On The Mudline

Take Doctor’s Advice And Check Your Insurance

By W. P. Sissell

The Doctor

It was February 2008 and Dr. Donald Warren had put in a full day at the office.  It was time to go home, but he had work to do on the  computer at the office.  The day had been less than a beautiful day, a threatening cloudy day, and he would have liked to go home but several of the girls were still there finishing up their part of the days work.              The phone rang and it was his wife.  She wanted him to come home at once for there was a very threatening cloud headed directly for their home.  Dr. Warren knew that tone of voice – although he had work to do, he told his wife that he would be home in a few minutes.

Six minutes later he was at his front door and his wife was there waiting for him.  He says that he hollered telling her to get to the bath tub and grabbed sofa cushions and pillows before joining her there.  He related nothing about damage to their home other than a small spot on the roof.  

As I met the several young women whom we have gotten to know in Dr. Warren’s office, I gave each a buckeye, telling them that I knew they wanted to ward off rheumatism (several thought they were good luck charms.)  I carried a pocketful for I had gathered my buckeye crop from our east line drainage ditch running into Hotophia Creek. I got two pockets full this year.  

When I gave the, I think, main nurse her buckeye she wistfully remarked, “Maybe, if I had one of these back in February  my luck would have been better.”  She went on to tell me as she pointed out of the room where we were standing in the new Warren Office Building to the center of an open field.  She remembered being suddenly slammed against the ceiling and then dragged and thrown across that field.  Her child was found a little further over in the field.  Here car was compacted lengthwise and widthwise. She remained in the hospital for several weeks.  

 The stories of the striking of the tornado reminded me of my father’s story, “I heard this loud noise—sounded something like a train coming—I got one shoe on and the whole front roof left the house.”

Some of the records from the office have been found in West Plains, Mo.,  A man living quite a ways from Clinton called and asked if he wanted the record book that came through his front window.  

The Boat Factory

Across the street from Dr. Warren’s office there was previously a boat factory.  It is visual evidence of the terrific force of nature on that afternoon.  A flat expanse of concrete covered with rubble along with several damaged vehicles. The factory has relocated to an available building in another area of Clinton.

Dr. Warren has some sage advice for all of us:  “If you think you’re insured it would be wise to check for you’re probably not.”  His new building is a beautiful structure—I hesitated—I did not ask if he thought that beautiful new structure was capable of withstanding such a force.

The one on our place on the Mudline  left a big hay-filled barn intact, de-roofed our house, flipped an empty two bale cotton pen upside down and cut about a fifty foot swath through a stand of pine timber—leaving a small house nearby intact and disappeared to the southeast.  

Nannette and I always enjoy our visit with Dr. Warren.  We know that his remedies are helpful.  

Do have a great week.  Thank you for your calls.  You can reach me most of the time at 23541 Highway 6, Batesville, MS 38606 or 662-563-9879.