Summer Rain

When I walked out of the store, it was raining. I should have known rain was imminent as the sky went dark in the middle of the day. But I stopped in the store anyway. I could have made the mad dash for 4 blocks to the train station, hug the buildings for the protection of their awnings, or purchase a rinky-dink umbrella from the African man on the corner. Instead I walked. At the same pace as when the sky was as blue as the tropical sea. Slowly, calmly I strolled in the rain. Me and my thoughts. My thoughts and me. I smiled. Stronger. Harder. Faster. More. I really wanted to feel a torrential downpour. Cleanse me. Heal me. Wash me. Renew me.

During my stroll, I caught a few running passersby doing a double take as they whizzed past me. Why is this chick not running with the rest of us?? As if I knew something they didn't. I smiled. They shook their heads as if I was crazy. But I felt no pressure from my peers and continued my leisurely stroll. In the rain. Me and my thoughts. My thoughts and me.

I descended into the train station soaked. My white tunic and undershirt clung to me like they were trying to somehow morph into my DNA. My jelly flip flops skidded more that flopped as I tried to will my slippery feet to grip them even harder. But I didn't care. It felt good.

As I sat down on the train a couple to my right looked at me like they saw a ghost. "Oh my God! Is it raining?!" she said to me as she patted and smoothed down her weave. I looked down at my skin peeking through my clothes, shook my head and said "Uhhhh, yeah!". I wanted to respond something like "No, I just got out the shower - clothes and all" but sarcasm seemed to escape me for the moment as I reveled in the wetness of my skin and my clothes. I laughed. He smiled. She wrapped her arm around him a little tighter. But I didn't care. It was all about the rain.

When I got off the train 5 stops later, I was hoping the sky had really opened up by now so I could continue my leisurely stroll in the rain for the block and a half I had to walk to complete my journey. As I ascended the stairs, I saw the sun beaming. Once above ground, I looked to the ground, not a puddle or a drop of moisture in sight. As if nothing ever happened. I slipped my shades down from the top of head to the top of my nose. There were raindrops on my sunglasses. It did happen. I smiled.