It's rainin' mean, hallelujah!

It's rainin' mean, amen!

No offense meant to the Weather Girls, with their two tons of fun, but it was raining mean yesterday. Fortunately, I'd had the stratospheric foresight to take along some umbrellas despite those Girls' advice . . .

We'd left home on a mission from God at half past eight in the morning, caught a bus for the subway, reached Bonghwasan Station as the rain was barely starting, and exited Noksapyeong Station as buckets and even washtubs were being emptied from the heavens.

They must've had the devil washing up the mess that he'd made above because we were having a devil of a time below.

Theology aside, the elements were not working with us. Despite our umbrellas, we got soaked from the water falling in buckets, blowing in sheets, splashing in arcs, and running in clichés . . .

But nothing stops "The Incredibles"!

Like salmon swimming upstream, we pushed on through the rushing, surging waters of a river that used to be the street.

At the church door, our Sunday school teacher stared as I stopped to remove my shoes and pour out cups of dirty water.

He must have been impressed, for he later asked me to assist during the main church service with gathering the offering (though not in my capacious shoes).

At first, I demurred: "Well, I'm not really a member of this church."

Everyone present assured me, "No problem."

And the teacher added, "God didn't stop you at the door and keep you from coming in, did he?"

"He tried," I said. "That's what that rain was all about!"

Everybody laughed despite the potential of further divine intervention, and I helped with the offering plates for the first time since I was thirteen.