On the odds.

It’s just that conditions are right, a colleague helpfully reminded everyone on the call. No need to panic. The wind picked up, but the sun was still out. It’s more likely to be nothing at all.

Later on, I had ten minutes until I needed to be somewhere else. The clouds did not look good—a towering black wall rolling in—but I thought, I’ll take my chances and took off on my bike.

It got dark enough out that all the cars had their headlights coming on. I pedaled faster, holding on to hope I’d outrun the weather, pleading with no one in particular, Just wait for me.

A. caught up to me on the road. Do you think we’ll make it? he asked, and I felt the first drops of rain. Jinxed!

We hurried to find a covered spot to lock up our bikes just as it really started to pour, but we still had to make it in to the party.

What do you say? He looked back at me, ready to make a run for it.