Last night my cat almost got hit by ball lightning. There was a huge thunderstorm that came in repeated waves, with lightning hitting all around our house. Our neighborhood is up on a ridge along the border of Brooklyn and Queens, hence the name Ridgewood. A couple of times the ground shook like lightning hit the school at the end of the block.

Kel and I were sitting on the couch watching the flashes through our front windows. During one loud strike, I was looking over at our computer which was still on. There was a loud snap or pop, and I saw a bright white sphere near the top of the hutch. It flashed as it disappeared.

My cat Bobert was sleeping behind the guitar case on top of the hutch. We stared at each other wide-eyed. Bobert saw the ball lightning, too! He was stunned so it took him a moment to jump off the top of the hutch. Then he took off and I didn't see him for a while.

Kel heard the popping sound, too. He claims it was an electrical spark, like a short. He was looking out the windows in the other direction. So he's being very noncommittal in an effort not to insult me. When I offered to take a lie detector test (since Bobert can't) he said UFO conspiracists believe what they believe. Which I think is even more insulting. So now I'm delusional, huh?

Bobert and I saw ball lightning. I swear.