I was cleaning up the dishes from dinner when my son Alex came in from the back porch. “A thunderstorm’s rolling in.” he said.
I peeked out the kitchen window and saw that the sky was already getting dark. “I’ll be right out!” I cried as I wiped my hands on a dishtowel and reached into the cabinet for a wine glass. Hurrying to the refrigerator I grabbed my bottle of Pinot Grigio and poured a glass before leaving the bottle on the countertop and racing out the door so I didn’t miss any of the show.
Sitting in the rocking chair I looked around the woods, not a leaf was stirring on the trees as a light rain had begun to fall.
The birds were making last minute visits to the feeders while the squirrels, chipmunks and rabbits were taking their last tour of the grass to see if they’d missed anything good before turning in for the night.
Then a quick flash of light appeared and I began to count, “One Mississippi, two Mississippi…” KA-BOOM!
“Oh, man. It’s close.” I said as the low rumble kept on as I took a sip of my wine and put the glass on the side table next to me before rocking back in my rocker. “I’ve always loved a good thunder storm.”
“A good one?” Alex asked.
“You know. One that really shows it’s stuff.” I looked over at him. “Not a meek rumble in the distance but an up close and impressive BOOM!”
The air was beginning to cool as the wind began to pick up. “Oh, yeah! It’s coming through now.” I leaned back even further taking in a slow deep breath. “Doesn’t it smell good?” I asked as the smell of wet earth began to fill the air.
Alex nodded his head as another even louder clap of thunder rang through the air.
“I think it’s getting closer.” I reached for my glass of wine to take another sip.
By now all the wildlife had left the yard finding safety in the shrubs and trees until the storm passed.
The wind began to pick up, driving a mist of rain under the roof of our deck. I moved my chair closer to the middle trying to keep dry as another flash of light hit. Not even a second passed before the thunder erupted. “We’re in the middle of it now!” I cried as I sat back down in my rocking chair.
Alex pulled his chair further under the porch also trying to keep himself dry.
I reached for my glass again. “There’s something about all the power and energy happening right in front of us but we’re safe and out of harm’s way right here on our deck.”
Another crack of lightening followed immediately by a huge roll of thunder that actually shook the house. I was up and out of my seat in a flash my glass of wine still in my hand. “Okay, that’s enough for me.” I said as I headed for the kitchen door.
Alex was right behind me as we closed the door and I looked out into the back yard. “I swear that hit somewhere in the neighborhood.” I put my glass on the countertop and raised my hand to my chest. I looked over to Alex. “That really got my heart racing.”
Alex looked over at me and had to laugh. “I guess there’s a difference between a really good thunderstorm and one that scares you to death?”
“Hey, lesson learned on that one.” I grabbed my glass of wine and headed to the living room to watch the rest of the show out the front window, where it was safe.
Slice of Life 