Matthew's Miniature Book of BIG Hurricane Stories by Sr. Margaret Kerry, fsp

Matthewâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Miniature Book of BIG Hurricane

Stories

How Matthew Became a Super Hero Matthew wasn’t always a super hero. In fact that is the last thing anyone would call him unless they were taunting him “Matthew the super hero!” Then something happened to change his life. He brought out the garbage for his mom. It was an ordinary Saturday. You know the kind where you wake up and slosh toward the kitchen for a bowl of cereal. No one is really up yet – but mom is sitting at the table drinking tea and saying things while reading the newspaper: “Is that you Matthew?” Matthew generally ignored this since he really wanted to say “no it is Joe.” Joe was his big brother. Sometimes he wanted to say “no this is Anna.” Anna was his younger sister. If he did say that though he just knew he would get his mom to look up and stare at him and say – “MATTHEW!” with all capital letters. Everyone knows that when you type capital letters on an instant message

you are screaming. So Matthew just kept scooting about the kitchen. Next his mom looked up and said “matthew” in small letters, “good morning son.” “Good morning, mom” he managed to say without spitting the cheerios he had just put in his mouth, into the air. Matthew took his bowl and sat in front of the large black box with a window on it – he hit the magic button. Suddenly there was a whirl. Colors swirled on the box. Matthew sat back while the light of the television cartoons drew shapes all over his face. Eventually the couch started filling up with Joe, Anna, and Benjamin. No one was talking. In fact Benjamin had just fallen onto a pillow and curled up falling asleep again. Then Renee bounced in. Renee had been upstairs wide awake playing a computer game. “Cartoooons!” she shouted. Matthew grabbed his empty bowl and went back into the kitchen. Then it happened. Everything else had been normal for a Saturday morning. This morning though, Matthew’s life changed. “Matt,” his mother looked up from the newspaper. This time he knew she knew who he was. “Matthew – please bring out the trash.” Matt stopped at the sink. He dropped the plastic bowl into the water. It splashed on him. He

didn’t care. He didn’t move. Maybe if he didn’t move things would change. Nope. “Matthew?” His name wasn’t pronounced in capitals yet. What should he do? “Yes mom.” – Yes was always a safe word. “The trash....” “Mom! – and he knew before he finished his sentence that this was not what he should say - “it is Saturday” he made sure the word Saturday was drawn out – saaat uuuurrr day! “Matthew,” mom responded. “Did I ask you what day it was?” Ho boy. Matt walked toward the trash can. “Thank you Matt,” mom assured him, “Taking out the trash can make or break a man.” Whatever did that mean? “Break, more likely.” he retorted dragging the can along the floor so that Benjamin woke up. “Please pick it up Matthew – you are taller than the can – you can pick it up,” mom sighed. The sigh was a sign to Matthew that he had better pick it up and move quickly to outside of the house. All of this was likely to make a hero - but Matthew didn’t know that – and his opportunity was coming across the Atlantic in the form of a hurricane. He noticed that it was

unusually windy and that the trash started flying out of the can. He held on tighter making his way to the roadside. Then looking across the bay Matthew saw it. What? A hurricane? Why didn’t the weather report say anything? Why didn’t they interrupt the cartoons to warn people? It was already too late. Matthew knew he had to act fast. First he had to think fast. Should he go back in the house and tell everyone? Should he wake up his dad? Should he get the car loaded so they could drive to a motel up north? No – now Matthew, armed with his trusty trash can with the silver lid (which by the way had slid off back at the house) knew what he had to do. He ran back to grab the lid to the can. He emptied the trash into the big compacter near the street. He turned on the compactor to compact the trash. There was no more time to loose. Matt ran to the dock. He untied his dad’s motor boat carefully placing the trash can in the front. Turning on the motor he buzzed out of the bay and into the Bay (Remember Matthew is a super hero – don’t try this at home). There it was, right in front of him. The storm saw Matthew and got angrier. It opened its mouth and spat water and fish

into the boat. The waves rocked and Matthew stopped the boat. “Come on,” he tempted the storm, “I dare you to get closer.” That was when Matt began to pray. It has become part of his super-hero arsenal to this day. The storm came closer. Now Matthew could see the eye of the hurricane. It stared at him without blinking. Matthew stared it down. It swirled the boat in circles. Matthew dropped the anchor. The boat held steady. Then it happened. Matthew knew this was his chance. He opened the lid of the trash can. He held the can so that the eye of the hurricane looked inside. “Go on,” Matt invited the storm. “I have a tornado in this can already and it is going to come out to get you! The hurricane laughed. “I have also been keeping black hole in this can – and it will swallow you up.” This time the hurricane got a little closer because it did look dark in the can. The water started to calm down. “And there is a water spout that the last hurricane left behind – it can’t wait to challenge your water spouts.” Soon enough the hurricane put one arm in the can and as it swirled Matthew pushed in the other arms and closed the lid. He pulled up anchor and laid it on top of the can. The can thrashed about on the boat. Matthew started the motor and went back to the bay. Grabbing a chain on the

dock he chained up the can and dragged it to the compactor. He threw the whole can in and pushed the compacting button. The machine bounced up and down. It turned in circles. The sides blew out air. Soon enough it was quite. Matthew brushed off his shirt and jeans. He went back up the stairs. Joe, Anna, Benjamin and Renee were still watching cartoons. Mom was cooking lunch. She saw Matthew sit down at table with a glass of water. “Where is the trash can Matthew?” Matthew carefully phrased his words before speaking: “Would you believe….when you said taking out the trash could make or break a man….Mom, there is a new superhero on the block.” One day Matthew would explain why the trash can that his dad later found in the compactor came in so handy.

The Hurricane that Lived in a Hotel One of Matthew’s favorite vacations was staying in a hotel with a swimming pool. Now Matthew lived near the Atlantic Ocean and could swim when ever he wanted. But a hotel had some special attractions that Matthew liked. Some of them had fake waterfalls you could swim under. Others had slides and fountains that sprayed water in the pool. All of them had a Jacuzzi with warm water. Matthew loved coming out of the cold water and sitting in a Jacuzzi that spayed warm water from the sides. He also loved coming out of the warm water and jumping into the cold water. One summer his family was at a hotel for the weekend. They were celebrating mom and dad’s wedding anniversary. The weather reports said that it would be warm with lots of sunshine. So imagine Matthew’s

surprise when they arrived at the Wind-Jammy hotel and it was windy with lots of rain. Matthew went up to the desk at the hotel to ask: “Why is it so windy here? Why is it raining?” “Young man,” answered the clerk, “Why are you surprised. Haven’t you seen rain and wind before? We just have had a lot of it lately, I suppose.” “But the weather reports…”started Matthew. “Son,” his dad called. “It’s ok – we can’t change the weather can we.” “But the weather report…” he started again. “The report isn’t always right – is it,” said mom. Everyone piled on the elevator to go to their room. One day later everyone was tired of playing games on the television and eating take out pizza – which seemed to always be soaked when it arrived. Matthew decided to look out on the terrace for hopeful signs of sunshine. Then he saw what the problem was. He couldn’t believe his eyes! In the pool below was a hurricane. It was blowing the beach balls in circles and making the fake waterfall go sideways. “Ah ha!” he exclaimed. “The weather report was right. This hotel didn’t tell us that a hurricane was staying here.” Matthew explained why he wanted to go out in the rain with his swimsuit. Mom and dad were not happy but there wasn’t any lightening so they gave him permission. “Don’t stay out long!” they said as

Matthew headed down the hall. They didn’t notice that he took seven towels with him. When he arrived at the elevator he noticed a laundry hamper on wheels. He looked inside. Good! There were clean, dry towels inside. Matthew pushed the hamper onto the elevator. When Matthew arrived on the first floor he put a towel over his head and pushed the hamper quickly toward the laundry room. No one seemed to notice. He removed the towel after parking the hamper. He looked through the glass out to the pool. The hurricane was still there lounging in the water. It moved back and forth to the Jacuzzi and the big pool “That warm water is giving it more power,” thought Matthew who knew a lot about hurricanes. After all he was a superhero. He also knew what he had to do. When the hurricane moved into the Jacuzzi Matthew pushed the laundry cart outside. He took three towels at a time and soaked them in the cold water. He carefully looked up each time to make sure the eye of the hurricane didn’t see him. Then he put them all back in the cart and hid behind it. Soon the hurricane returned to the pool to play with the beach balls, make water spouts and create whirlpools. It happily blew the waterfall sideways while Matthew set to work. First he found the switch for the Jacuzzi and turned it off. All this time he used the cart for cover walking along side of it. He waited at the Jacuzzi for the hurricane to come back and warm up.

Finally his waiting paid off. The hurricane entered the Jacuzzi. It was surprised that the water was cooler. Matthew jumped from behind the cart and threw a bunch of cold towels into the hurricane. He kept filling the Jacuzzi with cold towels. The Hurricane tried to blow them away but it was getting colder and colder so that its breath became weaker and weaker. “Next time,” stated Matthew, “you have to pay for your stay at a hotel like everyone else. Now leave here so my family can enjoy the weekend!” The hurricane took one look at Matthew and exclaimed “you are that superhero, destroyer of hurricanes and threat of tornadoes! I am leaving.” Then and there the wind stopped, the rain ceased and the sun smiled upon the hotel. People stepped out on their balconies. Matthew’s mom and dad looked out to see Matthew in the Jacuzzi that was filled with towels. Luckily by the time dad got downstairs to find out what in the world Matthew was doing the hotel manager arrived. He had seen the whole confrontation with the hurricane. “Young man,” he exclaimed, “I have been trying to get that hurricane out of my hotel for three months. In order to thank you I am going to give you free

weekends here for the next year.” Dad looked at Matthew. “Now is a good time,” Matthew reasoned, “to tell him about the trash can.”

The Hurricane That Refused to Land 12

Now that Matthew’s status as superhero-destroyer -of -hurricanes was known people would call him from all over the coast as soon as one was sited. The weather channel invited him for an interview once and channel 5 told him that he would have a job there when he grew up. Matthew wasn’t so keen on the growing up part. He did like to visit channel 5 and sit in the weather reporter’s chair while pointing to the weather charts. What he didn’t understand was why you couldn’t see the charts except on a screen – so you really had to practice pointing on a green canvas while looking at another screen. If you haven’t visited a television station yet you have to do that soon to understand how this works. One day while Matthew was visiting channel 5 the real weather reporter rushed into the studio. “Excuse me young man,” he said “There is an emergency report I have to make.” Matthew jumped off the chair and sat on the side. The cameras turned on and the weather reporter began pointing at the invisible chart. Matthew looked at the television in the room so that he could see what it was that the reporter was pointing to as he spoke. “As you can see,” the reporter continued, “This hurricane does not want to land. It has moved from Hilton Head to Edisto Beach, then from Editsto to Folly Beach, even from Folly Beach to Myrtle Beach – and still it will not land! Not that we want it to,” he concluded, “at least not

as a hurricane. But if it doesn’t land it will get stronger and stronger!” Matthew waited until this portion of the news was over and then went to speak to Ron the weather reporter. “Yes,” explained Ron, “It is better if it doesn’t land – but that thing is getting bigger the longer it sits out there in the warm water! This isn’t good.” Matthew got an idea – superheroes usually do – and said “I have to go – keep checking the weather!” Off he went on his bike he had parked outside of channel 5. Matthew pedaled all the way home and then packed a lunch for his bike ride to Folly Beach. His dog, Larry, followed him from home. Exhausted a few hours later Matthew sat on the sand at Folly Beach. This beach had been through a number of hurricanes. Matthew knew that a beach was a lure for hurricanes. That hurricane would get close to shore here and Matthew could set his plan into place. He opened his bag of lunch, leaned back against an old palm tree and began to eat – and wait. After he finished his sandwich Matt turned on the weather radio he had taken with him. Sure enough that hurricane was heading back toward Folly Beach. The

weather channel talked about how people kept packing up to leave and then unpacking because this storm couldn’t make up its mind. “I will fix that,” thought Matthew. Larry barked at this statement since he could only agree that this hurricane’s time had come.

“Ok, Larry, this is what we are going to do,” explained Matthew to his dog. He decided that he could employ Larry in this super hero business and raise him to status of super hero’s dog companion. Larry barked again and pawed the ground to appear super. Matthew folded his napkin into an airplane and set it on the ground next to him. “Go find some palm branches, Larry,” he sent Larry off to get supplies. Larry returned a few times dragging dried up palm branches. “Good boy,” Matthew patted Larry’s head. Larry pawed the sand again like a bull ready to charge. Matthew and Larry started digging a very big and very deep hole. Then they put palm branches over the hole. Matthew laid his quickly made paper airplane and tied it

on top of the branches. He turned the weather radio back on as loud as it could go. Then he and Larry waited. Then the hurricane came and was intent on passing by Folly Beach this time but heard Matthew’s weather radio reporting about the ferocious Hurricane. Curious it drew closer. Then it saw Matthew and Larry lazily sitting on the shore. Matthew knew that the hurricane would get closer to scare Matthew off of the beach. He and Larry moved further inland and shouted out. “Hello,” Matthew yelled. “Nice day isn’t it.” The hurricane blew all the harder. “No hurricanes have landed here for years. I come here because it is so safe from hurricanes. Right, Larry?” Larry barked. Matthew tried to look calm. The hurricane came even closer. It noticed Matthew’s napkin-airplane blowing around in circles above the palm branches. “Oh don’t look over there,” Matthew addressed the hurricane. “The last hurricane that landed here is under those palm fronds,” laughed Matthew. “You don’t want to land here. Only a very brave hurricane would get as close as you have – only the bravest hurricane would land here.” The hurricane moved into land and whipped up the palm branches to see the hurricane that last came ashore. At that moment Matthew and Larry ran and jumped on top of the hurricane pushing it into the hole. They put the palm fronds back on top and sat on them. The hurricane yelled and blew harder and harder. Soon it was out of breath. Matthew heard the weather reporter saying,

“Folks, we don’t know where the hurricane landed – it was last seen headed to Folly Beach.” Matthew peaked into the hole. The eye of the hurricane looked up. “I will let you out,” promised Matthew, “If you let Larry chase you further into land. It will be better for you if you just turn into a windy day. People will like you more. Ladies will hold onto their hats as you pass as a sign of welcome. Chimes will gratefully sing as you gently blow. When you get further inland children will take their kites outside where you can toss them to and fro up in the sky.” The hurricane let out a windy breath and agreed to just be a windy day. Matthew let it out and followed on his bike while Larry chased the paper airplane down the sidewalk. “Another day in the life of a super hero and his dog,” Matt smiled. “Let’s go home for supper.”

This is a book for children inspired by my nephew who always wanted to hear hurricane stories. These stories helped him deal with the real-life hurricanes. Sr. Margaret Kerry, fsp Has written seven self-published childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s books (for her nieces and nephew) and a childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s book published by Pauline Books & Media (St. Anthony: Light and Fire. Still in print 20 years later in three languages). Sr. Margaret has two other books in print by Pauline Books & Media, Live Christ; Give Christ and Strength in Darkness. She recently contributed to a book published by Ave Maria Press, Catholic Mom Prayer Companion. A native of New Orleans Sr. Kerry has her BA from De Paul University, Chicago and her MA from Boston College, Massachusetts. She lived in Charleston, South Carolina from 1998-2002 and again from 2014- to the present. For over 40 years Sr. Margaret has worked in publishing and in bookstore retail. Her present assignment is at Pauline Books & Media on King Street where she leads the St. John the Baptist Cathedral Bible Study and a Pauline Books & Media Bible Study, and a Writers Group. She gives workshops on Media Literacy.