There's no Earthquake in East Lansing!

We just watch the movie 2012 again and it brought back the memories of spring last year.  The first time we watched it the girls were on the edge of their seat as California slipped into the ocean and the train came out of the side of the gaping hole that was being made by the quake, and the plain flew between falling sky scrapers.  Now as entertainment goes it does get the adrenalin flowing even though most of us know it is a movie purely a fiction of someones imagination. The girls are typical teenagers and they are screaming as if they were in the movie itself.  The whole time asking is this real, is this true and so on.  I must have told them a dozen or so times, no it is a movie, no this is not going to happen, It's a movie.   So for days they commented on the movie and ask a hundred questions about earthquakes. I am not a science major or the like of anyone who can explain to the girls when an earthquakes happens or what makes it happen.  I tried many approaches to the subject but never really felt like they understood. The questions went to the wayside as some other thing took there attention.  A month or so later I am at lunch and the sky is getting ugly  so I thought I better high tale it back to work and call the girls, who are at home on Spring break, to make sure they are OK. I was getting out of the car and about to enter  my work place when I hear the Tornado warning system in the city go off.  I took a quick look around to see if there was a touch town close by and then headed into work.  I no soon took a few steps past the door when the tornado alert went off at work. I was quickly ushered into the ladies bathroom as it is the tornado shelter in my work place. I was getting worried because I can not call home and I am not sure where the tornado is at or if it has touch down some where. We spent 15 minutes in there now as a work place bathroom goes its not bad with one or two ladies in there but lets try 20 people crammed into the stales some one was sitting in the sink and standing on the toilets as there was no more floor space to stand on,  we were the proverbial sardines in can. I am not claustrophobic but I would rather take my chances with the tornado next time.  So when I get out of the bathroom and catch my breath I heard some one say there was a touch down South of us. I took off to get to my desk to call home One of the girls answers the phone and is just hanging out watching a movie. I said "did you here the warning sound like I showed you at the old house".  No Ma what sound. Now am trying to make the sound of the tornado warning with no luck what so ever. I can't even spell the sounds that were coming out of me. "Why" she says,  Because there was a tornado South of us and I am worried about you guys. EARTHQUAKE! she yelled.  What earthquake? I am talking about a tornado. Where Ma? South of us. Is that by East Lansing? No! East Lansing is East of us. South is a different direction. "OH" she says When did East Lansing have a Earthquake,  I said," there is No earthquake its a tornado" Whats a Tornado? Now how the hell am I going to explain this, to a kid who just learned what an earthquake is by watching a movie. Language is a hard barrier to get through on a phone because you need do a lot of hand and body movement when trying to explain things.  My frustration is growing ever faster  as my attempt to explain, was not going any where. She then says is South by East Lansing? No! South is South, East is a different direction. What is direction? OMG I am just calling to tell you if you hear the tornado warning again go to my room and stay there till I call. Ya Ma can I see the earthquake in East Lansing on the TV.  There is NO Earthquake IN EAST LANSING. IT'S A TORNADO.  As I am hanging up I hear her talking to the other girls. A few minutes later the phone rings and it is one of the other girls. Mom can we go see the earthquake in East Lansing when you get home. THERE IS NO EARTHQUAKE IN EAST LANSING!!!!, Its a tornado and it is South of us. So now I can hear here yelling at the first girl for giving here the wrong information and she got yelled at.  I just hung up the phone,  the receiver never quite made the phone cradle when the next call came.  This time its the older sister that works at the same company I do but a different department.  She says "Mom can I go with you to see the Earthquake in East Lansing".  What the HELL!!!!, THERE IS NO EARTHQUAKE IN EAST LANSING, ITS A TORNADO.  Holly cow did your sister tell the whole country that there is an earthquake in East Lansing.  Its a tornado and no there is nothing to see. What is a tornado?  Holly shit! I yelled  "I am going to rent the movie Twister tonight". as I hung up the phone.