November 5, 2006 9:48 pm

Urban Flooding

:note: Katatonia – “Evidence”

Today I had a very bad idea (VBI). The idea was to get some food and then go to Powell’s bookstore, but the very bad idea was to do it today, in the rain. We decided that since we’d be out-and-about, we didn’t want to deal with umbrellas. Besides, you’re not a TRUE Portlander unless you do not give a shit about the rain. So. Out we went.

I had on a waterproof windbreaker jacket type thing, and Daniel had on a a sweatshirt and a canvas jacket. We both had on jeans and normal shoes.

The walk to the restaurant wasn’t too bad; we both got a bit soggy but on the whole we weren’t uncomfortable. The walk from the restaurant to Powell’s was similar – you got a bit damp, but nothing you couldn’t overlook.

The walk home was a different story.

It started pouring at some point while we were in Powell’s, and we stood at the entrance for a few minutes debating whether we should brave the downpour or not. We wanted to hit the grocery store on our way home but it didn’t look like it was going to let up anytime soon and so, continuing with the VBI, we braved it.

You can see how well that went.

Wet Pants

Rivers were running down the streets. Pounds of dead leaves clogged the storm drains and water flowed up onto sidewalks. We kicked water into our shoes. Finally, after about the third or fourth shoe-filling water kick, we gave up and began wading through the sidewalk floods. There was no point in avoiding them anymore. The grocery store idea was hastily abandoned and our only focus was making it home without drowning.

I made a fatal step about a block away from home – some guy was up to his mid-shins in water brandishing a rake at a storm drain, and I took a step into the same whirlpool to cross the street (also a VBI) and sunk in UP TO MY KNEE. Yes, I realize I am short, but my KNEE, people! That is a lot of water! It threw me a bit off balance but I recovered and made it across the street.

Here is a close up of the only dry portion of my pants upon returning home:

Close Up Of Wet Pants

That is it. The rest of the pants were drenched. My shoes were filled with water. Daniel began having trails of water run down his chest, having soaked through both his jackets and his t-shirt. His boxers got wet. Our socks were waterlogged and full of leaf particles. We had to do an emergency load of laundry. My grandma across the road just called to say her basement is flooding too. Heh. I suppose this isn’t really funny, but the concept of basements flooding is funny to me because it just seems like it happens to other people, never you.

So, my friends: Welcome to USA. Anybody wanna visit?

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3 Comments

  • Claire says:

    OMG, and I thought we had shit weather in England… :shock:

  • Rose says:

    It’s been raining nonstop here for the last few days as well, although I haven’t gone out in it. Probably not as bad as where you are, because Victoria is supposedly in a rain shadow, so we don’t get as much rain as the rest of the west coast area…

  • tori allmaras says:

    holy shit balls!!!! thats so crazy! It was raining like crazy here the other night and we went and found some sweet huge puddles to drive through. I think i kinda like the rain. :grin: