So, it was my sophomore year in HS. I have always been a total storm nerd, I think it harkens back to the time I was 5 or 6 or so, and some of my neighborhood got fucked up by a tornado. As is often the case, there wasn't a real straight line, but rather little touchdowns where people lost their roofs, their pools and what ever else may have been on their lawn. Generally a sign of a weaker tornado (F1 - F2ish), but still enough to fling a shingle through your face type of event.
So, I was walking to the bus stop, I left early because it was pouring rain. Like a downpour, and lightning was flashing almost constantly. I'm wearing jean shorts, and a Celtics shirt, not that that matters, just painting a picture for you at this point. Now keep in mind, its fucking pouring rain. I'm soaked to my underwear by the time I hit the end of the driveway. Bus stop is at the end of my block.
I'm about 3 houses down, walking in the rain, and truthfully I didn't give a shit that I was soaking wet, it was an excellent thunderstorm to start my morning and I was totally content with that being the storm nerd that I was then and am today. Then I feel the weirdness of the hair on my arms standing straight up, even though they are soaking wet and its raining like a wet hell. There is a brief moment where I think 'cool'. Then I remember seeing photos like this:
^What that said. It's totally fucked up to feel the flow of electrons gathering and rising around, and is such an alien feeling that most people wont know what it meant until its too late.
I have an oh so brief moment of realization as to what the hell is going on, I'm talking a fraction of a second, and think "Oh fu...." It's cut short by a blinding flash. Have you ever touched a plug that was half way out of the socket? That numbness inducing tingle that shuts off your arm? It was like that, just worse. Started at my feet and went straight up through my body.
Next thing I know, I'm on my back in the grass. Looking at the sky. Now I will be clear, I don't think it was a direct strike, but rather the lightning hit a tree or a stop sign or something, and the charge just traveled through the wet ground until it met my feet. But I look at my feet, I still got my shoes on. Bonus point right there. I can still move. Bonus point #2. So, I picked myself up, and went to the bus stop, and went to school that day. Christ, if I ever had a legit excuse to say 'Nope', and stay home that was it.
So, I was walking to the bus stop, I left early because it was pouring rain. Like a downpour, and lightning was flashing almost constantly. I'm wearing jean shorts, and a Celtics shirt, not that that matters, just painting a picture for you at this point. Now keep in mind, its fucking pouring rain. I'm soaked to my underwear by the time I hit the end of the driveway. Bus stop is at the end of my block.
I'm about 3 houses down, walking in the rain, and truthfully I didn't give a shit that I was soaking wet, it was an excellent thunderstorm to start my morning and I was totally content with that being the storm nerd that I was then and am today. Then I feel the weirdness of the hair on my arms standing straight up, even though they are soaking wet and its raining like a wet hell. There is a brief moment where I think 'cool'. Then I remember seeing photos like this:
^What that said. It's totally fucked up to feel the flow of electrons gathering and rising around, and is such an alien feeling that most people wont know what it meant until its too late.
I have an oh so brief moment of realization as to what the hell is going on, I'm talking a fraction of a second, and think "Oh fu...." It's cut short by a blinding flash. Have you ever touched a plug that was half way out of the socket? That numbness inducing tingle that shuts off your arm? It was like that, just worse. Started at my feet and went straight up through my body.
Next thing I know, I'm on my back in the grass. Looking at the sky. Now I will be clear, I don't think it was a direct strike, but rather the lightning hit a tree or a stop sign or something, and the charge just traveled through the wet ground until it met my feet. But I look at my feet, I still got my shoes on. Bonus point right there. I can still move. Bonus point #2. So, I picked myself up, and went to the bus stop, and went to school that day. Christ, if I ever had a legit excuse to say 'Nope', and stay home that was it.
