Just as the clock struck 4pm, the rain began to fall.
I was already at the rear exit door, ready to escape the office for the 10 meter walk to my car. After the first step, the drops fell harder; I should have turned back then; hindsight is 20:20 'though.
Six paces later the rain was setting up a suppression fire around the car park. People were diving for cover, as the torrents lashed down on their targets. Water ran like blood over the asphalt. Mother nature, her thirst unquenchable, unleashed hell: it started to hail.
On the mad dash to my car I came across two fallen comrades in the car park, fishing for a dropped set of keys under a storm water grate. Irony was at work here too. I moved on without regard - a man possessed; no time to save the lives of keys long lost to the will of nature; they were dead - they just didn't know it yet*.
A mere 10 seconds later I had made it to the safety of my car - I had survived another day.
I can cope with being wet: living in Dunedin most of my life has cured me of any potential Ombrophobic tendencies, but the one thing I cant stand is wet feet.
Thirty minutes later, squishing loudly (and sadly), I walked from my garage to the living room, I retired my shoes to the hot water cupboard for a few hours, knowing later that evening I had to go back to work.
People - I would like to try and convey some of the joy I experienced when I put those shoes back on later that evening. I'd like to, but I doubt I'd be able to do justice to the emotion. My only wish is that you too can one day experience this moment of nirvana - try it soon.
Perhaps on a cold winters morning, when the still bedroom air seems to assault you at every turn as you attempt to start a new day, grab those shoes from their warm resting spot. Warm shoes on one's feet can create a smile that takes some beating, even after the hell of a thunderstorm.
* No news on the keys yet - will keep you posted.
3 comments:
very good Mark - you have a lovely turn of phrase - very lyrical. It reminded me of time that I decided to walk to the local shops whilst holidaying in the bahamas. As I left the shop it started to tip it down with rain - something of an understatement there - I've never experienced rain like it. Everyone else stayed sheltering in the shops but I thought 'oh it's only 5 minutes walk back to apartment'and manfully headed out. However within 2 minutes the water was above my ankles and heading towards my knees and I couldn't make any headway in any direction. Thankfully a kind ex pat stopped in her rangerover and scooped me up. Her 1st words were 'I knew you must be english!'
Loved this. It was kind of fun living it without the actuality of all that Auckland wet.
I love the scene in "The Shawshank Redemption" where Andy raises his arms up to embrace the rain. Whenever possible I try to do the same thing - but some times the rain just doesn't want to be embraced :)
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