Perfect Timing?

My umbrella broke today. It happened right in the office as I was about to leave to go home. The top — the umbrella part, the part that opens up — separated from the pole, and I was unable to reattach the two parts. So as of 7:30 p.m. this evening, my umbrella is dead. Long live my umbrella.

Of course, this meant three things to me: one, the rain needed to stop, and it needed to stop immediately; two, I was likely going to get wet walking to the T and then home (despite bringing a hat); and three, I guess I need to go to my ten-year college reunion after all. Despite my desire not to play that "Oh, this is your husband/wife/boyfriend/girlfriend/child? Great! And what are you up to these days?" game, if I want a new Brandeis umbrella, I need to suck it up and go. Yes, yes, I could just go out and buy a new umbrella, and I'm sure it'd be a better, longer-lasting one (though five years is nothing to sneeze at — that's how long this one lasted), but there's something about the blue-and-white Brandeis umbrella, the one they give out at our reunions every five years, that screams "must-have" to me.

Still, and more importantly, I think I've now reached the breaking point with this rain. It's enough. This weekend I drove two ways in it (back and forth to New York), and I've heard it beating down on the skylights in my office. I've packed onto a crowded T with umbrellas and stupid people. We've all done it. We've all endured enough. It's May. Hell, it's mid May. Even if this is Boston, it's supposed to be sunny and warm. This weather sucks. I've had it with the rain.

And worse, now I need a new umbrella.