The hotel employees are being forced to work

My mother told me she couldn't drive b/c her gas tank had a hole.

I left work early and drove in the pre-storm 3+ hours to get there.

And when I arrived, Mom was glad to see me, but not for the reason I had imagined. "You're in time for the hurricane party!" And she was serious. She wasn't going to leave. Everything she had said indicated she was stranded.

I was pissed, really pissed.

I didn't hold back. I told her I was leaving in 30 minutes and I didn't care if she was in the passenger seat.

So, she got in the car and it took us almost 5 hours in the worst rain and wind and traffic imaginable. (Remember it was Long Island and one way to leave.)

She bitched the entire car ride about missing her party.

When we got home, she got a drink and attended the party by phone.

While it still makes me angry, I did the right thing.

Id be pissed, too

I'm geographically challenged, but near Tampa is a bad place to be right now.

Her nursing school is there hopefully it'll be OK and everything else but I'm concerned by what I'm seeing on tv

Been worried since you posted this yesterday

Trying to get to her first floor apt ty so much for caring!

But I'm sure there's damage since the cops were out telling her neighborhood to evacuate