--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: By the middle of the afternoon it had…" description: "\"“By the middle of the afternoon it had rained so much that the drains were overflowing, clogged up with leaves and newspapers. The water built up until..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb1/jon-mcgregor-16601_rain_by-the-middle-of-the-afternoon-it-had-ra_949957.jpg" --- # By the middle of the afternoon it had rained so much that… ![“By the middle of the afternoon it had rained so much that the drains were overflowing, clogged up with leaves and newspapers. The water built up until it was sliding across the road in great sheets, rippled by the wind and parted like a football crowd by passing cars. I was shocked by the sheer…” quote by Jon McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb1/jon-mcgregor-16601_rain_by-the-middle-of-the-afternoon-it-had-ra_949957.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb1/jon-mcgregor-16601_rain_by-the-middle-of-the-afternoon-it-had-ra_949957.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb1/jon-mcgregor-16601_rain_by-the-middle-of-the-afternoon-it-had-ra_949957.jpg) > ““By the middle of the afternoon it had rained so much that the drains were overflowing, clogged up with leaves and newspapers. The water built up until it was sliding across the road in great sheets, rippled by the wind and parted like a football crowd by passing cars. I was shocked by the sheer volume of water that came pouring out of the darkness of the sky. Watching the weight of it crashing into the ground made me feel like a very young child, unable to understand what was really happening. Like trying to understand radio waves, or imagining computers communicating along glass cables. I leant my face against the window as the rain piled upon it, streaming down in waves, blurring my vision, making the shops opposite waver and disappear. There was a time when I might have found this exhilarating, even miraculous, but not that day. That day it made me nervous and tense, unable to concentrate on anything while the noise of it clattered against the windows and the roof. I kept opening the door to look for clear skies, and slamming it shut again. And then around teatime, from nowhere, I smashed all the dirty plates and mugs into the washing-up bowl. Something swept through me, swept out of and over me, something unstoppable, like water surging from a broken tap and flooding across the kitchen floor. I don't quite understand why I felt that way, why I reacted like that. I wanted to be saying it's just something that happens. But I was there, that day, slamming the kitchen door over and over again until the handle came loose. Smacking my hand against the worktop, kicking the cupboard doors, throwing the plates into the sink. Going fuckfuckfuck through my clenched teeth. I wanted someone to see me, I wanted someone to come rushing in, to take hold of me and say hey hey what are you doing, hey come on, what's wrong. But there was no one there, and no one came. ”” [Jon McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-mcgregor/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A sudden storm triggers an intense, almost child‑like emotional overload, leading to destructive outbursts and a yearning for external comfort. **In simple terms:** A heavy rain caused a flood of anxiety and impulsive actions. Key Takeaway Recognize and manage sudden emotional surges. Themes emotion stress anxiety impulsivity nature solitude Mood tense anxious introspective Type personal narrative descriptive emotional When to use this quote - stormy weather - personal crises - loneliness - creative writing Key Concepts psychological overwhelm environmental triggers coping mechanisms Questions to Reflect On - How do you cope with overwhelming emotions? - What external supports help during sudden stress? A Different Perspective The narrative may dramatize stress, not reflecting typical responses. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Rain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rain/) ## Related quotes > [it was my first doll that water went into and water came out of much earlier it was the diaper I wore and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-sexton/it-was-my-first-doll-that-water-went-into-and-water-came-out-of-much/) [Anne Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-sexton/) > [“The sun had come up brilliantly after a heavy rain, and the trees were glistening and very wet. On some impulse, plain exuberance, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/the-sun-had-come-up-brilliantly-after-a-heavy-rain-and-the-trees-were/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) > [River is time in water; as it came, still so it flows, yet never is the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barten-holyday/river-is-time-in-water-as-it-came-still-so-it-flows-yet-never-is-the/) Barten Holyday > [He was going to take a dive into this lake. He just didn’t know it. Cerise rose, finding footing in the soft mud. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/he-was-going-to-take-a-dive-into-this-lake-he-just-didn-t-know-it/) [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) > [The day you chose to leave me it rained constantly in truth I swore the rain to be the tears of cuspids eyes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-day-you-chose-to-leave-me-it-rained-constantly-in-truth-i-swore/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You might be a redneck if... your high school basketball game got rained out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-foxworthy/you-might-be-a-redneck-if-your-high-school-basketball-game-got-rained/) [Jeff Foxworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-foxworthy/) > [“it is raining blessings, and we all stand under our large umbrellas. come out and let yourself be rained upon!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pascale-kavanagh/it-is-raining-blessings-and-we-all-stand-under-our-large-umbrellas/) Pascale Kavanagh > [“It rained for four days and four nights, hard. 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It was like living inside Tupperware.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bryson/sometimes-it-rained-but-mostly-it-was-just-dull-a-land-without/) [Bill Bryson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bryson/) > [“If it rained knowledge, I'd hold out my hand; but I would not give myself the trouble to go in quest of it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-it-rained-knowledge-i-d-hold-out-my-hand-but-i-would-not-give/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The town caught fire in several places, shells crashed and burst, and solid shot rained like hail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-longstreet/the-town-caught-fire-in-several-places-shells-crashed-and-burst-and/) [James Longstreet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-longstreet/) > [“What the fuck happened?" Drew's voice was broken. All the nasty things they said as the blows rained down filled my head as my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cambria-hebert/what-the-fuck-happened-drew-s-voice-was-broken-all-the-nasty-things/) [Cambria Hebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cambria-hebert/) > [“What if it rained or you felt a bit glandy? It just wasn't practical. Better by far to simply try and be good and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/what-if-it-rained-or-you-felt-a-bit-glandy-it-just-wasn-t-practical/) [David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/) > [“It had rained, she said, and I imagined the beads of small water on the windshield like a thousand eyes, or each drop a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-van-booy/it-had-rained-she-said-and-i-imagined-the-beads-of-small-water-on-the/) [Simon Van Booy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-van-booy/) ## More by Jon McGregor > [Everybody's got their own situation and their own needs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-mcgregor/everybody-s-got-their-own-situation-and-their-own-needs/) [Jon McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-mcgregor/) > [It is something I recognise in myself. I do eavesdrop. I do people-watch, a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-mcgregor/it-is-something-i-recognise-in-myself-i-do-eavesdrop-i-do-people/) [Jon McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-mcgregor/) > [“the rain falls, catching the trailing edges of net curtains which flow out of open windows like fishing nets lowered over the backs of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-mcgregor/the-rain-falls-catching-the-trailing-edges-of-net-curtains-which-flow/) [Jon McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-mcgregor/) > [I'm surprised, but I'm glad, I realise that this is what i wanted that night last week, to simply make a connection and keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-mcgregor/i-m-surprised-but-i-m-glad-i-realise-that-this-is-what-i-wanted-that/) [Jon McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-mcgregor/) > [I once saw a picture in the paper of John Hegley with 'poet' written on his knuckles, and I thought that was pretty cool,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-mcgregor/i-once-saw-a-picture-in-the-paper-of-john-hegley-with-poet-written-on/) [Jon McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-mcgregor/) > [“The world didn’t always sound right when it was first explained.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-mcgregor/the-world-didn-t-always-sound-right-when-it-was-first-explained/) [Jon McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-mcgregor/) > [“And he'd looked straight back at her, holding her professional eye contact, and said yes, thankyou doctor, I do understand, yes. 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And the kind of will people have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-mcgregor/it-takes-a-lot-of-energy-and-creativity-to-make-such-screwed-up-lives/) [Jon McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-mcgregor/) > [Last week I was just someone who had had a first novel published.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-mcgregor/last-week-i-was-just-someone-who-had-had-a-first-novel-published/) [Jon McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-mcgregor/) > [Now that I've had a book published, it is quite validating, but a bit embarrassing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-mcgregor/now-that-i-ve-had-a-book-published-it-is-quite-validating-but-a-bit/) [Jon McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-mcgregor/) [Explore all 37 Jon McGregor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-mcgregor/) ## More Rain quotes > [“As ofttimes as it rains on my little spot of earth, you'd think I'd grow accustomed to the gloom.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/as-ofttimes-as-it-rains-on-my-little-spot-of-earth-you-d-think-i-d/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [Every drop of rain hits its appointed target.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-newton/every-drop-of-rain-hits-its-appointed-target/) [John Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-newton/) > [No matter how strong the storm, how hard the rain and how vicious the wind there is always a gap in the clouds for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-greenhalgh/no-matter-how-strong-the-storm-how-hard-the-rain-and-how-vicious-the/) Ben Greenhalgh > [The crisis of our diminishing water resources is just as severe (if less obviously immediate) as any wartime crisis we have ever faced. Our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-wright/the-crisis-of-our-diminishing-water-resources-is-just-as-severe-if/) Jim Wright > [Some would call me an environmentalist. I don't know why. I reuse the water that falls in my backyard in the winter. I reuse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-begley-jr/some-would-call-me-an-environmentalist-i-don-t-know-why-i-reuse-the/) [Ed Begley, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-begley-jr/) > [He will hear the rain before he feels it, a clicking on the dry grass, on the olive leaves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ondaatje/he-will-hear-the-rain-before-he-feels-it-a-clicking-on-the-dry-grass/) [Michael Ondaatje](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ondaatje/) > [“It's our rain, Beth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-mcgarry/it-s-our-rain-beth/) [Katie McGarry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-mcgarry/) > [“A flower needs the rain to grow just as much as it needs the sunshine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-mummert/a-flower-needs-the-rain-to-grow-just-as-much-as-it-needs-the-sunshine/) [Teresa Mummert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-mummert/) > [“The next forty-five minutes in that office was about as much fun as a day at Disney World—when it’s pouring rain. And all there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/the-next-forty-five-minutes-in-that-office-was-about-as-much-fun-as-a/) [James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/) > [The Louvre! The Louvre has me in its clutches. Every time I'm there rich blessings rain down upon me. I am coming to understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-modersohn-becker/the-louvre-the-louvre-has-me-in-its-clutches-every-time-i-m-there/) [Paula Modersohn-Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-modersohn-becker/) > [He put his hands on her shoulders and kissed her full on the mouth. His skin was wet with rain. When she didn't pull…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelia-funke/he-put-his-hands-on-her-shoulders-and-kissed-her-full-on-the-mouth/) [Cornelia Funke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelia-funke/) > [Joel Lane documents a life we don’t quite live, in a city we can’t quite find: half glimpsed and half imagined, we know it’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaz-brenchley/joel-lane-documents-a-life-we-don-t-quite-live-in-a-city-we-can-t/) Chaz Brenchley > [Yes, Brazil, like the whole world, stands to lose a lot in a climate-altered world. But it's also one of the major forces determining…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gisele-bundchen/yes-brazil-like-the-whole-world-stands-to-lose-a-lot-in-a-climate/) [Gisele Bundchen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gisele-bundchen/) > [I love walking in rain coz no one knows that I m crying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idreesbhat/i-love-walking-in-rain-coz-no-one-knows-that-i-m-crying/) Idreesbhat > [Fortunately, like most children, I had learned what is most valuable, most indispensable for life before school years began, taught by apple trees, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/fortunately-like-most-children-i-had-learned-what-is-most-valuable/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) [Browse all 5,150 Rain quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rain/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“By the middle of the afternoon it had rained so much that the drains were overflowing, clogged up with leaves and newspapers. The water built up until it was sliding across the road in great sheets, rippled by the wind and parted like a football crowd by passing cars. I was shocked by the sheer volume of water that came pouring out of the darkness of the sky. Watching the weight of it crashing into the ground made me feel like a very young child, unable to understand what was really happening. Like trying to understand radio waves, or imagining computers communicating along glass cables. I leant my face against the window as the rain piled upon it, streaming down in waves, blurring my vision, making the shops opposite waver and disappear. There was a time when I might have found this exhilarating, even miraculous, but not that day. That day it made me nervous and tense, unable to concentrate on anything while the noise of it clattered against the windows and the roof. I kept opening the door to look for clear skies, and slamming it shut again. And then around teatime, from nowhere, I smashed all the dirty plates and mugs into the washing-up bowl. Something swept through me, swept out of and over me, something unstoppable, like water surging from a broken tap and flooding across the kitchen floor. I don't quite understand why I felt that way, why I reacted like that. I wanted to be saying it's just something that happens. But I was there, that day, slamming the kitchen door over and over again until the handle came loose. Smacking my hand against the worktop, kicking the cupboard doors, throwing the plates into the sink. Going fuckfuckfuck through my clenched teeth. I wanted someone to see me, I wanted someone to come rushing in, to take hold of me and say hey hey what are you doing, hey come on, what's wrong. 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