I grew up in the Midwest, so every summer we wound up sitting under the basement stairs at least once due to a tornado watch or warning. I didn't have the slightest clue what a tornado was--I had heard the word and seen news footage of the wreckage they left behind, but I had never actually seen footage of a tornado. My five-year-old reasoning went something like this: "'tornado' sounds like 'tomato,' so it's probably something red and roundish... but it must also be big, and capable of destroying buildings." So, what's large, red, round, and has a tendency to smash through walls? The Kool-Aid mascot, of course! Every time I sat under those basement steps, I imagined a more massive version of the Kool-Aid mascot, stomping through town and booming, "Ohhh, yeeeah!" as he decimated trailer parks.
Despite the havoc he wreaked, I had no qualms about drinking his product.
A childhood belief about disasters
others believed things like this
- I used to believe that when there was a tornado watch, you were supposed to sit down and watch the tornado.— Kay
- I used to think that a tornado was a tomato and lots of tomato juice would got flying around.— sam
- I used to believe that a tornado was a giant red tomato that rolled through cities and towns.— Darlene
- I used to think if a tornado sucked up a poisonous mushroom, it would die.— Will
- When i was little i used to believe that i could suck up a tornado in a vaccuum if it came in my house.Anon
- I used to be very fascinated by the weather and sometimes wished I could have a tornado for a best friend.— Will