The Night of the Storm, I Walked Home Alone
1k Views · Ongoing · Noah
The hurricane made landfall in New York just as I got off work.
I was standing outside the office with a coworker, waiting for a ride, while my boyfriend's texts came in one after another.
"It's pouring. Don't forget your umbrella."
"Don't cut through the parking garage on the way home. The water's freezing and the floor's slippery."
"Take a hot shower when you get in, and make yourself some tea. Your hands and feet always get cold. Stay warm."
My screen brightness was turned all the way up, and my coworker couldn't miss it. She nudged me.
"Claire, look at you, showing off. You never talk about your boyfriend anymore. Afraid someone's going to steal him?"
The words were barely out of her mouth when a black Mercedes tore past and drenched me from head to toe.
I wiped my face and pointed at the car, already nothing but taillights.
"Somebody already did. That's my best friend in his passenger seat."
My coworker clapped a hand over her mouth.
I held up my phone. The Uber queue had over a hundred people ahead of me.
"We're not getting a car tonight. Let's take the subway."
When we said goodbye at the station, my phone was still chiming with new iMessages.
I didn't open a single one. I just opened my email, calmly, and replied to the transfer offer that was about to expire.
"I'll report to the Miami office next Monday."
Then I turned around and took a different street, one with less water on it.
I can get myself home in the rain.
I was standing outside the office with a coworker, waiting for a ride, while my boyfriend's texts came in one after another.
"It's pouring. Don't forget your umbrella."
"Don't cut through the parking garage on the way home. The water's freezing and the floor's slippery."
"Take a hot shower when you get in, and make yourself some tea. Your hands and feet always get cold. Stay warm."
My screen brightness was turned all the way up, and my coworker couldn't miss it. She nudged me.
"Claire, look at you, showing off. You never talk about your boyfriend anymore. Afraid someone's going to steal him?"
The words were barely out of her mouth when a black Mercedes tore past and drenched me from head to toe.
I wiped my face and pointed at the car, already nothing but taillights.
"Somebody already did. That's my best friend in his passenger seat."
My coworker clapped a hand over her mouth.
I held up my phone. The Uber queue had over a hundred people ahead of me.
"We're not getting a car tonight. Let's take the subway."
When we said goodbye at the station, my phone was still chiming with new iMessages.
I didn't open a single one. I just opened my email, calmly, and replied to the transfer offer that was about to expire.
"I'll report to the Miami office next Monday."
Then I turned around and took a different street, one with less water on it.
I can get myself home in the rain.















































