Glad it worked out for you.
And I agree with you that a good service in the Apple Store would have seen their staff acknowledge your layman's theory that there may have been a connection between the storm and your malfunctioning computer, but then diligently and rigorously check for evidence of such by examining your computer. If there was no such definitive evidence, then continuing the good service on Apple's part would have seen the repair undertaken as you requested.
Just because you told them something – expressed your opinion about the nature of the cause of the problem – didn't make it a fact.
It's a shame that so many members of this forum were quick to leap on their high horses about your case.