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thunder and trucks.

I experienced my first thunderstorm in Japan today. It has rained fairly often since I’ve been here, but no thunderstorms. At first, I didn’t even know what was happening. It was SO loud and kind of unlike anything i’ve heard before. For about a 30 seconds i thought-this is an earthquake, i can hear it coming-but then it stopped and i was just confused. My apartment faces a main street with a trolley line. While the trollies are loud they don’t really bother me. But sometimes, when I’m not entirely asleep a truck will pass. As i lie there, the sound from these trucks creates an image of trucks that are two stories high. Trucks with teeth hell-bent towards their destination. Tonight the thunder was much louder and menacing than my half-awake imaginary giants. I was genuinely confused. After about 5 minutes of listening for the sound again i finally got up and looked out my window. It was raining. Only thunder. Almost disappointing. Yet, even once i knew it was thunder, with each strike of lightning followed a sound that continued to amaze me. In the southwest each clap of thunder kind of crackles. They have sharp edges. Tonight it was more of a roar, a vibration. (Is it because i’m near the sea?) Unfortunately it was short-lived.

I love thunderstorms. Growing up, my dad and I would sit the porch and just watch the sky. To this day the first thing I do when I see lightning is open the windows or go outside. I’m looking forward to more.