By the time the thunderstorm left town, the clouds cleared and the sun returned, the facts hadn’t changed Monday. Patrick Kane and his cousin, James, were still facing felony robbery and other charges after a dustup with a cab driver over 20 cents. They had been booked, jailed and shipped back to the real world.

No matter how this shakes out, Kane will learn a sobering lesson. The real world can be harsh and unforgiving. He turns 21 in November and is entering his third year in the NHL. It’s about time the boy next door starts carrying himself like a man rather than some frat brother on spring break.

It doesn’t matter how many goals he scores, how much money he makes or how many people join his fan club. If he wants to be perceived as a professional, he better act like one. If he’s going to operate like a child, he’ll be treated like one. Kane doesn’t need this aggravation, but he has only himself to blame.

Lawyers were combing over the sordid details Monday with the case expected to be presented to a grand jury later in the week. Don’t be surprised if the felony charge is reduced and a settlement (see: payoff) is eventually reached with the cabbie, who has his own set of issues that need to be tackled.

By the sounds of things, there were three knuckleheads responsible for the whole thing turning into an ugly mess. Kane and his cousin had no business being anywhere but in their beds at 5 a. m. rather than cruising around Canisius College after a night on the town. Just like your mother always said, nothing good happens after midnight.

At the very least, Kane was guilty of first-degree stupidity. By law, he shouldn’t be drinking alcohol anywhere, but sources said he started with beers while skating at Leisure Rinks before hitting Chippewa. He certainly shouldn’t be getting involved in a tussle with a 62- year-old cab driver over a $13.80 fare. Heck, the fact they were only going to pay the cabbie $15 was troubling in itself.

The conversation should have gone something like this:

Kane: Thanks for the ride, here’s $20, keep the change.

Cabbie: Thanks for the tip. See you later.

End of story. Instead, according to the cab driver, Kane and his cousin unloaded with always- pleasant “you don’t know who you’re messing with” rhetoric, accompanied by a physical exchange. A source said Kane referred to the driver as “this scumbag” while talking to police, and his cousin, hardly an ideal linemate, had the audacity to tell one of the cops that they were “arresting the face of Buffalo.”

Charming. Blackhawks General Manager Stan Bowman, who was raised in Williamsville and welcomed Kane into his Chicago home to help him get adjusted to life in the NHL, can’t be too amused. This is the last thing the Blackhawks need after a trying summer.

We can only hope this incident was an act of immaturity and bad judgment rather than a persistent pattern of ego and arrogance.

Almost everyone makes moronic mistakes in their early 20s—guilty!—but the young-and-dumb excuse isn’t going to work with Kane even if he skates with a slap on the wrist and lighter wallet. Why, you ask, because he’s a professional hockey player? Yes. It’s the price he’s paying for fame and fortune. And he had been warned.

Kane was told numerous times about the importance of keeping his head on straight while living the good life, but rumblings about him having a big mouth and cocky attitude have grown louder over the past year in South Buffalo and beyond. He has gained a reputation as a braggart and big-timer, which doesn’t go over well anywhere let alone our humble, blue-collar town.

You haven’t heard much about his behavior because it was mostly spread through anecdotal tales that lacked legal testimony and hard evidence. They were often dismissed, at least by me, with the idea they came from jealous critics. Truth was, Kane didn’t understand most 20-somethings, and most 20-somethings didn’t understand him.

All along, behind the scenes, people were talking. After a while, all the brush strokes added up to a painting. The picture of him became that of an insufferable, self-absorbed athlete who took his fortune for granted and was too big for his britches. Simply, he acted more like the athlete people come to despise, not the native son they adored.

For what it’s worth, Kane has always been respectful to me. He’s proud of Buffalo. You want him to do well because he’s a local guy who has worked hard to become a great player. His parents don’t deserve to be thrust into such an ugly ordeal because their son failed to use his noggin.

Their response Monday was referring questions to high-powered lawyer Paul Cambria, who made Kane sound like an innocent victim. It would have been nice to hear Kane’s side of the story. There’s talk the cabbie locked them in the car and overreacted after getting ripped off by college-aged kids before.

Perhaps there were other factors that led to their early morning ride spiraling out of control. The legal system will sort out the mess. Ultimately, Kane and his cousin shouldn’t have placed themselves in that situation in the first place because of who he is and what he does.

He’s the best player ever to come out of Buffalo. He’s a former first pick overall, was the NHL’s Rookie of the Year, was selected for the All- Star Game, is a strong candidate to make the U. S. Olympic team. He was given a key to the city and just last week was hailed as a hometown hero and role model in South Buffalo.

Let’s hope this experience will accelerate his maturity, help him make better decisions and teach him a lesson about humility. Let’s hope he sets a better example for kids who worship him. Let’s hope he understands the standards for him, whether it’s fair or not, are different because people are always watching.

If he’s not comfortable with that arrangement, he can certainly pick another line of work in the real world. Just so he knows, it’s pretty tough out there.