It Was a Dark and Stormy Night

It was dark and stormy anyway. I had just gotten off work and for once I actually had my umbrella with me. I wondered if that was a good thing as I wrestled with it against the wind through the security gate and out to my truck. My truck was parked half a block beyond the gate and I was soaked to the skin by the time I reached it in spite of the umbrella.
As I entered my truck white lightning traced across the black sky. Thunder quickly followed. The temperatures had been dropping all day and now I noticed that my windows were completely fogged over. After I had cleared them I cautiously eased out into traffic. In spite of the storm and slow moving traffic I made good progress. I was passing a car dealership and no more than three blocks from home when a something like the sound of wet laundry blowing and snapping in the wind caused me to glance up through my windshield. One of the lines of flags had come loose from the pole closest to the road. The line snapped down and clung to my windshield while the end whipped up under my truck and disappeared. I felt it catch underneath even as I was looking for a way to pull off the road. There was no way to stop safely and so I kept on going. Behind me I heard and felt a series of pops and the sound of breaking cords. The next moment; my truck was towing a long streamer of flags behind it as I drove toward home. Lightening continued to streak across the sky and I thought about Benjamin Franklin. I wondered if I was going to personally rediscover electricity. My flags were causing me a great deal of anxiety as they alternately soared skyward and then swooped down to lash the vehicles around me. I was certain that I was breaking a dozen laws and that the entire New Orleans police force was going to descend on me any moment. Suddenly the flags broke free and flew off into the night. I wondered where they would come to rest but I didn't really care. I was safe and they were gone. The rest of the evening passed very pleasantly as I watched the storm play itself out while I drank a cup of hot cocoa.

RW