I'm not sure exactly what it is, or even when it started... but at some point, in Argentina, I became deathly afraid of lightning. I'm not a wuss, I'm the first one to hang out in the dark, weathering the storm, etc. But something, somewhere really must have wigged me out.
It's started to flash and roll outside, which made me remember I left my windows open in my car because it was butt-hot out when I got home. So I got dressed, and went out/down to close the windows on my car in case it starts to rain with this storm or sorts. As I sat in the driver's seat the lightning flashed seemingly close, giving me a bit of a scare... then when the thunder rolled I nearly had a heart attack trying to get back to the deck and inside my door. Why did I have to park in timbuktu today? [the shade]
Maybe it stems back to LAPEN. Where we were swimming, on a day clear as ever, in the well of the river... a nice calm spot we'd been to nearly every day. All of a sudden it started raining, a nice, warm rain, we stayed swimming without giving it so much as a thought. Next thing I knew I felt what seemed like my swimming suit exploding/disintegrating on my body. I immediately felt myself to make sure I was still clothed, screamed, and proceeded to book my butt out of there as fast as I could conjure.
The other option is when I was staying at the Rodriguez house. No one has screens, or even sliding windows, they all are shutters and swinging in & out panes. As usual, it was hot so we had shutters mostly closed (but cracked enough that air could flow for the most part) and windows wide open. Even with rain we would leave them as such until the temperature dropped. At this point in time Ramiro-Pap� had decided that Paulette and I should no longer be squished into one single bed (which we had been doing for months by that time), so I was sleeping out in the living room, by myself, on the couch.
Once again the storm brewed. Granted every memory I have of such storms is a positive one, propping myself up against the window to merely watch God's work in awe, I don't ever remember feeling all that comfortable with this one in particular.
Apparently my apprehension was with good reason. Next thing I know, we're well into the night... I can't sleep for the life of me (nothing new with the heat), and I'm wide awake listening to and watching the storm just out side my window. Keep in mind this window is right next to my body. I kid you not, a bolt of lightning came down before my very eyes. I watched it. Perhaps it didn't touch down, I don't know... because there was no other evidence besides my very own eyes.
I freaked out, slowly got up and out of bed, and tip-toed/stumbled through the dark into Pau's room. Assuming everyone else was just as awake as me ('cause mass destruction was occurring outside our windows) I was quite taken aback that I had to wake her up. I don't remember what, if anything, I said. I just know I was scared and wasn't about to sleep alone.
Granted I'll never completely live it down, the next morning was the worst. I still, to this very moment, can feel my heart palpitate every so quickly as I see and hear the crashing before me...
Lord, let me sleep!
