A random dust devil, one might suspect. Or is it random? Perhaps there is an intelligence behind the vortex that directs it, or perhaps the vortex itself is a live, thinking life form, not based on carbon or silicon, but micro current processes we confuse as chaotic when in actuality they are not.
I've long suspected the possibility, ever since I was a young man in college. There was an incident that set these thoughts in motion. It was a blustery afternoon in the Fall. I was headed across campus to get to my class on time. As I approached the Hall, a large 2 story brick building with many hedges and sidewalks alongside its open grassy lawns, I started watching a small dust devil kicking up the leaves as it wandered across the lawn. It was no larger than I was, perhaps a bit shorter, but carrying quite the collection of debris, and very stable. There were no other students in the area at the time. I remember wondering if any were watching from the windows. It was putting on quite a show. It seemed to be playing in the leaves. For a moment I paused and watched its antics.
As I started down the sidewalk and got past the hedge row, I noticed it change its direction and move over to the sidewalk I was on that lead to the entryway. It was still about 20 feet away, but it stuck to the narrow sidewalk while continuing to move in my direction. When it reached me, at about 3 feet away I stepped to the side and swept my arm front to back in a manner acquiescing it the right of way. It hesitated briefly, almost shyly at first then continued very slowly right past me, conforming to the sidewalk path and eventually lifting off and disappearing.
After the encounter, I felt as though I had made contact with an unknown species. I couldn't help but think that if it were so, establishing communication with the species might be very beneficial to mankind, both in negotiating their right-of-ways and protecting our property, and in what we might learn from them. Alas, though, we never met again, but I did run into a wind vortex a couple of years ago who was much larger. He (she?) had just crossed our lake, destroying houses on both sides, and was headed up the hill in front of my house, from the opposite side. Rather than run for the basement garage, as I should have, I stood on the concrete porch, facing south, listening to the roar of the wind with my hand on the door, ready to run. My anxiety grew quickly as the roar was getting louder yet without changing its point on the compass. It was becoming obvious to me that we had a tornado, and it was headed straight for the house.
Suddenly the tops of the trees across the street began tossing about in extreme torture. Not like a straight wind, but in chaotic fashion with no sense of direction. Then a great and strong wind descended on the street blowing debris back and forth at great speed. It was the full width of my front yard, though all I could see was the debris being tossed about. I was, by this time frozen, more or less mesmerized by this force of nature. I was torn between watching and running for cover. Then the roaring diminished. The wind abated, and the street became calm again. I stayed and listened. After about a minute or less, I heard the roaring start up again, more to the left, or east.
I went and got my neighbor and we rode around to immediately survey the damage. It had cut a path from the south to the north with a slight tilt toward the east. It damaged some homes, destroyed others and did little damage to the forest trees. Several homes were severely damaged on the south side of the hill I was looking at. Right before it got to my house, it picked up, moved about 4 blocks east and set back down again, damaging the roofs of a few more homes.
Perhaps that was my little buddy, all grown up and he recognized me.