Tornado Bob

Twice a year in the Spring and Fall, there is a massive antiques festival in the tiny town of Round Top TX that brings in people from all over the country. A group of about 10 wealthy people decided to rent out a field from a local ranch to set up a pretty significant 'glamping' event, and wanted 24 hour security on site. My previous employer was contracted to fulfill that request, and I had first dibs on shifts. I took all ten days of twelve hour night shifts. 8:00 PM to 8:00 AM. The event was only a few days long, but the site would take several days for the crew they hired to set it up and then dismantle the site.  They site included about 6 yurts for the guests to sleep in, a main large tent for their activities, and an assortment of trailers used for bathrooms and cooking. 

At the time I was living in a camper trailer because Austin's housing market slapped me in the face and laughed about it when I approached it. I found an RV campsite a few miles north of the ranch and booked the 10 days there so I'd just have to do the 1.5 hour drive there and back once. The RV 'Resort' I was living in regularly just outside of Austin was relatively nice. Lots of shade and amenities like community grills/fireplaces and two pools. The Round Top RV park was about eight trailers parked in someone's large open field backyard. 90% of the grounds were covered in plants with spiky burrs that glued themselves to anything that touched them. But $30 a night for a place I'd only be sleeping at was worth it. It wasn't long into the trip where I thought "man that trailer is a proper FOB (Forward Operating Base), I hope I can keep it when I upgrade my housing." I then realized I could call the trailer FOB and name my still newish truck Bob, and live a life of "Foben and Boben".

My job at the site was pretty easy. There was an access road to the camp which was on a hill, and I was to park my truck along that road and stop anyone accessing the site to ensure they were on the approved guest list. The nice thing about low risk security gigs as opposed to investigations (especially overnights) is that you really only need to have a minimal amount of focus to your surroundings. It was basically getting paid to watch Netflix, I watched all of Marvel's Jessica Jones for a second time and started another series in the time I was there. Given the small crew it was easy to learn who everyone was who was coming and going. 

A few times people drove down the dirt road thinking it was an easement, and usually just turned around when they saw me or talked to me. There really was only one night where I actually may have been needed to be security. A Mercedes Sprinter van came down the path one night. As it approached I got out of my truck and stood in the middle of the road. They had the nerve to just drive slowly around a guy standing in the middle of the road with a polo that had 'security' on it. I grabbed my radio from the truck and informed the camp site about the situation, and started walking towards where the Van had parked at the base of the hill, about halfway between me and the campsite. The guy in charge of the set-up crew had jumped in a golf cart upon the news and beat me to the scene, where he was arguing with the drunk lady behind the wheel. Apparently they were looking to park the van which they converted into a camper in the field. Personally I was sympathetic to the cause as they weren't hurting anyone and didn't want to put someone slurring their words on the road again in a 3+ ton van, but it was my unfortunate duty to help convince the women that she had to find another field. 

The final night that the VIP clients would be on site was a special affair, that included a private concert from a well known Texas based jazz/blues musician. I was pretty far away, but the sound traveled across the field and was a welcome break from endless Netflix on an iPad. They partied pretty late, but eventually retired to their yurts. 

It was about 5AM when THE STORM HIT.

They say everything is bigger in Texas, and that includes the storms. They're the type that hit heavy and hit fast. It was pitch black, crazy wind and torrential downpour. I'd be surprised if any of the clients weren't awakened by it, given they were in fabric yurts. At the peak of the storm, I got hit with a the biggest slap of wind I've ever felt. If my truck was moving, I'd have been thrown off course. If I had parked on the other side of the road which had embankments on either side, I may have tipped over. I looked left towards the campsite, and saw the main tent fly apart and all the outdoor lighting go dark. From the radio I learned the yurts were also destroyed, and they were beginning to evacuate the clients to the main barn at the ranch, which was used as a showroom for antiques. I probably should have helped in some capacity, but they never asked. I'm also German and selectively participate in shadenfruende when nobody is actually hurt or in real danger. This was just rich people trying to be outdoorsy and getting a first hand lesson that proper shelter is key. 

The storm was heavy for only 30 minutes or so and subsided quickly.  When the sun came out near the end of my shift, the scope of destruction came into view. Not only the campsite, but also a large tent that had been erected by the ranch to house more antiques had been completely uprooted. I feel like I was so tired by the end of that shift that I was desensitized to how bad the situation was. My co-worker showed up on time to relieve me and I wasted no time in crashing into bed. 

When I showed up for work the next night, teardown was underway. I learned then that the incident was a confirmed small funnel touch down event, we had been hit by a tornado. From then on, my truck has been known as 'Tornado Bob'.