Big thunderstorm

The summer pattern seems to be that around 1 or 3 in the afternoon, storm clouds mass up in the west. The storm usually breaks around 4 o'clock, but sometimes later.

Today I was in the French Quarter; I went to an art exhibit. I took the number 5 bus uptown, which was easy and fast, but on my return trip the bus was a half hour late. I stood on Peters Street in front of the H&M clothing store, chatting with a young man who was also waiting for the bus.

While we waited, a gentle rain started to fall, but tapered off by the time the bus dropped me at Alvar Street at Chartres. So I decided to take Jack out for his evening outing, with a stop off at Vaughan's Lounge.

Jack and I were sitting out on the smoking bench with our friend LJ watching the sky grow darker and darker with thunderheads. I was 3/4 of the way through my glass of $3 chardonnay, and I had a decision to make. Should I hightail it the four blocks to home? Or get another drink and wait it out?

Fortunately, just at that moment two things happened to help me decide. 1) LJ's regularly scheduled taxi, driven by Jimmy, showed up. and 2) the skies opened up.

"LJ, do you think Jimmy would mind giving me and Jack a ride home?"

He did not. I am grateful for that. The rain was so fierce that just stepping from the overhang of Vaughan's gallery to the door of the cab - a mere one foot distance - soaked me so thoroughly my hair streamed with water.

Jimmy and LJ dropped me off at the house and Jack and I ran up the front stairs. He got into the house and shook mightily. We are now sitting cozily inside, me in my dry pajamas and he curled up beside me. Outside, the lightning flashes and the thunder roars - hardly any time between them, so it's clear that the storm is right overhead.

Another summer day in New Orleans.