I know of a woman who suffered an indirect hit by lightning. She was a bigwig university administrator's daughter and was quite bright and sociable. The lightning strike affected her memory and some motor skills and I don't know if she ever regained her faculties. Lightning scares the crap out of me.

I've had some close calls, including an embarrassing incident in which I was walking the dog, and a stroke hit a tree about twenty feet from me--I just ran down the block after emitting an involuntary high squeal and dropping the leash. The dog simply galloped with me, enjoying her freedom and giving me a big doggy-smile. Another time, while on a cross-country vacation, I remember seeing a bright flash while in the back seat. My dad got out of the car and found a solder puddle on the hood where the antenna used to be. That was the vacation I was almost wiped out by a waterspout that took out some motel roofs . . .