a river runs through it or, rare events at the BOE

yesterday morning, I awoke to crashing thunder and sideways rain, not to mention the continued stifling humidity. And thinking that maybe this was the typhoon that Terutaka had briefly mentioned last night, I was thinking (perhaps hoping) that this would be one of those "it`s not safe to come in today, so stay at home and watch movies" days, okay maybe not that last part. Anyways, by the time that it was time to go to work, the rain had slowed to a sprinkle and driving was no longer treacherous, so I boarded the bluebird and proceeded to work. When I got near ACOOP (local grocery store) I noticed people standing around on the sidewalks, looking in awe of something (you know the way people gape at a palm tree in flames (happened once outside my house in Berkeley)...okay maybe not the same, but nonetheless, there was something going on. As I turn the corner to enter the BOE parking lot I noticed the back up of cars and then saw that the parking lot was no longer a lot, so much as a lake. The same went for the surrounding streets--rivers. Men in knee-high boots, were wading about and people clicked cameras, capturing this rare event on film. I parked at the dry haven of Lawson's (so much more than a convenient store) and then saw the extent of the flooding. The streets surrounding three sides of the BOE were rushing water, creeping in to the Lawsons parking lot, the community center parking lot was completely flooded and it seemed to be rising. The commotion inside the building consisted of people gathering round third-story windows to get a good look from above. The EEHHHHHH sounds could be heard throughout. We watched as small logs floated by and as cars began to flood. A train rolled by at half the speed. The weather channel was turned on in the main office (the weather report being eyed more seriously than the news conference on Korea's tested missiles). My last school visit to Miyose was cancelled. I feared not being able to get back in town were the water to rise more and I think that the Sumo exercises meant to be held today are probably cancelled. Zanen. And then about a half hour ago, almost as fast as it had risen, the water receded. The streets are clear.

It is estimated that we lost about three cars in yesterday morning's events. A couple of k trucks and a couple that are mighty nice, one being Kawabenishi's principle's car which apparently he didn't have time to move because he was so worried about the students. What a man.


UPDATE: the cars have all been saved, though no word on their water damage.