Rain Storm

I sat in my truck during a thunderstorm today. As the lunch hour approached, I knew I just had to get out of the office for a while.

Instead of being a hindrance, the rain was a source of delight. As it beat against the roof the sound brought back memories. No longer was I in an urban parking lot, I had been transported to a campsite on a deserted trail where I spent a night hearing the rain beat against the fabric of the small tent, fearful that a leak would invite the water into my small dry space. Humidity rose to a painful level and I realized that I would be just as wet if a leak had developed.

  As the rain rolled down the windows, the world outside became a colorful distortion as the waves flowed past. Instead of a static display of cars and buildings, they appeared as a constantly moving array of shapes and blurs that provided entertainment.

  Even more entertaining was the parade of people frantically moving through the storm. Some moved slowly, carrying an umbrella in a feeble attempt to avoid getting wet. Others boldly faced the deluge with no protection, willing, even eager, to accept the liquid massage. Some ran frantically, hoping to reduce the rain exposure, some walked at a normal pace as if they were totally unaware of any abnormal occurrence.

  Perhaps the best scene of all was the short-lived objects of art created when the huge rain drops splashed onto the pavement, creating a crown of droplets, only to disappear and merge into a flow of concentric rings that disperse in all directions.

  I pity the souls who stay inside during a rain storm. They are missing a whole lifetime of excitement.