It was December 1987 and a Russian couple was walking down the street in St. Petersburg at night, when the man felt a drop hit his nose. "I think it's raining," he said to his wife.
"No, that felt more like snow to me," she replied.
"No, I'm sure it was just rain", he said.
Well, as these things go, they were about to have a major argument about whether it was raining or snowing when they saw a minor communist party official walking toward them.
"Let's not fight about it," the man said, "let's ask Comrade Rudolph whether it's officially raining or snowing."
As the official approached, the man said, "Tell us, Comrade Rudolph, is it officially raining or snowing?"
"It's raining, of course," he answered and walked on.
But the woman insisted: "I know that felt like snow!"
To which the man replied: "Rudolph the Red knows rain, dear!"