Summer Storms

I lived in California for about 5.5 to 6 years and only heard thunder about three times. of course it rained, more so in San Francisco then LA , but it did rain a fair amount. one thing it doesn't do over there, that it does here, is the sudden and incredibly powerful summer rain storm. you know, the wall of wind and water from New Jersey? the one that happens right after a super hot and humid afternoon suddenly turns dark like twilight? thats when New Yorkers know to run for cover, and they also know that they won't have to wait long so shelter is the best option over braving through it. it explodes on the scene, dumps itself all over everything, and then it's gone and the sun is out within minutes.

I kind of like these storms, of course only when i don't get injured by flying debris. I like them not just because they are fast and exciting, but because they freeze life in the streets as pedestrians congregate under awnings and in entrances. they also pull the humidity right out of the air and wash the streets of filth. but mostly, its the "freezing" of life that is the best part. I have countless memories of taking shelter from these flash storms. Holding my mom or Dad's sturdy wet hand as a startled but amazed child, staring incredulously at the street as the water comes down so fiercely that it bounces. where a few seconds before we were headed for the park or the museum in a dry familiar city scene, now we were in a mini hurricane. it makes the ground look all fuzzy like a million little sprinkler systems are going off at the same time and i would wonder if it was going to ever be normal again. then there is always the chest shaking thunder and the bright fingers of lightning that stab at the tops of the buildings.

my countless memories of waiting out summer storms are fond. because when these storms happen it doesn't matter what you were doing, or even if you are late for something. most of the time i was with my mom, dad, and/or sister, sometimes friends, and most of the time we sheltered calmly and relaxed while the shit sprayed down all around. the fact is, nobody has a choice but to shelter and wait, so the break from reality was accepted and it became nice and amazing. plus the breeze felt nice, and the rain was a welcomed break from the heat. those old 7-up commercials nailed it with the whole "feels so good coming down" song. i can't imagine that people from the California coast even got those ads. here is one, not the one i wanted (the city summer scene) but at least there's one...


So, if you take it as a forced break, as a relief from the heat, and as a show of spectacular power, you can enjoy it. you get to talk about it with the people you are with. you talk about it with the strangers who get caught at the same time as you. it's actually fun. after all, you CAN'T just go about your business in it, unless you accept the fact that you will be taking a full-on shower in your clothes. not even an umbrella can stop this kind of rain, because it does bounce up and sideways, and because the storm will just blow your umbrella out of it's way like it's got a hand to swat it away with. so, you just take a moment, you look at the majestic power of nature spanking the hubris of the city. you get reminded that the colossal concrete city around you is not really in control of the environment, that the city is really just nature's bitch in the end.

I have a memory of driving uptown on my motorcycle on 6th avenue after working at a Broadway theater on the stage backdrop. it had been one of those unacceptably sticky summer days, and sure enough, at around 45th street i looked behind me and saw this wall of darkness descending from downtown. out in front of it, and no more then 3 blocks back was a wall of water. you could see the edge of it clearly. and it was heading towards me. instead of trying to find shelter, i saw the light change and decided i was going to see if i could beat it. with a motorcycle, i could weave enough through rush hour traffic to stay out in front of the traffic light sequence, all the way up to 59th street. at that point you have to either go into the park or wait at a light to get onto Broadway. i chose the park and did some pretty leaned out turns to maintain my lead on the rain. i pulled into my garage, near the West Side Highway JUST IN TIME. i got a few drops, but missed the deluge by seconds. then i got to weather it out in the entrance of the garage anyways. but like i said, once you are in one of these it's really just time to give into the natural spectacle of it and enjoy the show.