New York City, August 27, 2012

★★★★ A warm, indifferent sprinkle at noon erupted into a window-thumping downpour. People jumped up from staring at their computer screens and hurried over to stare at the water battering against the glass. A sheet of water covered the landing of the fire escape; drops came spraying in through the top of the doorframe. It was raining inside, the final flourish of a showpiece. The remaining hours to evening were irresolute: a high dome of feathered pure-white clouds, with a low layer of yellowish clouds blowing rapidly north below. Lost mylar balloons flashed, drifting apart from one another, higher than the building tops and lower than a departing airplane.