deluge

This morning I woke up before my alarm chimed, to the tippety-tappety-tip-tap-tapp of rain. I'm glad I live in the roof because there's something nice and cozy about being cozy and warm and sheltered while hearing the rain pattering down all over. My last apartment was on the first floor, so I could only hear the rain coming at me laterally through the window and it always felt like something was missing with rain coming at me sideways and a roof sitting quiet over my head.

There was a huge clap of thunder (absolutely glorious!) and the rain poured down. It started to sound like it was letting up, and I was glad because I hate being outside in the rain and I knew I'd get soaked walking to work. It did not, however, relinquish at all and I did get to walk to work in it. I had known while getting ready that the cloth tennies I was putting on were not a wise choice for this weather, but I wore them anyway, and my toes were soaked before I even got out of Fort Hill.

Boston has terrible drainage and I felt like Indiana Jones or Joan Wilder of Romancing the Stone as I leapt over, around and through torrential rivers of water that hurried furiously down the roads, swirled in pools and lakes at intersections, I dodged cascading sheets of gray water spit at my by rushing cars, I ducked under my umbrella and skirted shimmering trees saturated with water droplets ready to drop like grenades at the gentlest touch. As I got near work I realized my entire left arm was shiny with rain as well as much of my back and my other shoulder. I like the umbrellas that become so compact I can easily carry them in my purse, but today I felt like Totoro with his little leaf and realized there may be a time and place for large umbrellas in my life, like on days when there is no doubt that it is raining.

At work, I shed my wetness, but unwittingly set my bag on my chair to take a few things out. It left some water spots so I've been sitting forward on the edge of my seat for the entire morning, wondering why water takes so long to dry. I leaned back a little and now my left bun is a little damp. So I leaned forward again. It's rather tiresome. Maybe it will dry before I go home. I did wear some dark blue jeans so that when the rain would inevitably soak me up to my knees, at least it would somewhat blend in. Can't wait to go curl up tonight with some of that new dreamtime cocoa I got the other day.