Slap of God : Thunderclap!


Rain started pouring like there was no tomorrow, early in the morning today. I think it was 5 or something o'clock. I was in a mood to go back to sleep but then I remembered poor Alex, stuck on the roof. Well, he wasn't as drenched as I had expected as he had the good sense to stand under the awning. As I was rescuing him I saw that there already was a couple of inches of water pooled up on the roof. The drains would have clogged again despite my cleaning them a few days back.
So, I left the ecstatic Alex to scuttle down while I, like a true hero, went out to clean the drains.
It was pouring so I was drenched in the first few steps I took on the roof. There was a small rectangular iron sheet left by the painters which I took for the job.
Here I am, totally drenched, feet in 3-4 inches of water, with a metal sheet in hand, stooped over the drain which was clogged with leaves, twigs and matted Alex's hair.......and then IT happens!
There is this blinding white light all around as if a thousand flashes had exploded spontaneously and a thunder as loud as I had ever heard right over my head!
And I am like, this is it buddy!
I was back down so fast that I literally skipped over water.
With the sound of thunder still resounding in my ear, I took off the wet clothes and thought of going back to open the other drain. Everyone knows that lightening doesn't strike twice at the same place. Right?
So I am back again with the same rectangular metal sheet in hand, hunched over the next drain in pouring rain, with one eye in the sky.
And then it happens again!
And this time I see it coming down!
Not as loud or bright as the first time, but right over my head, and enough to chill me right to the bones.
I am down again and could not care less if the house drowns today.

Now when I think about I wonder what was I thinking the second time around. Its not like I am Flash and could out run a lightening bolt, so what exactly was the point of keeping an eye on the sky.
5 hours since the Slap/Clap and there is still a dull ache in my eardrums........


P.S.: 3 days after this clap/slap I was going through TOI in Delhi and in it on one of the inner pages there was this news of 117 people being killed by lightening during the same thunderstorm!
And two guys were struck by lightening while standing on the roof and enjoying the rain during the same storm in Ghaziabad.

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