h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

It rolled through around two o'clock. This time of year, we always get severe thunderstorms in the afternoons.

The company I work for flies a flag out front. When the clouds started moving in, I was instructed to go and fetch it before it got rained on.

I went outside and when I was not more than two paces away from the pole, a brilliant blue-white arc of lightning flashed over to my left followed much too closely by a clap of thunder.

I came back inside.

The flag remained where it was until the storm passed.