‘It’s a cloudy day,’ I thought. The sky is covered in grey, and there isn’t a single bit of blue to be seen. I feel something hit my head, then my shoulders. I look up, and a drop of rain falls onto my face and rolls down like a tear. I pull out my trusty umbrella in a desperate attempt to shield myself from the cruel attacks of the rain. It looks like I am not quick enough. The rain doesn’t even show me a slight bit of mercy. My clothes are already wet. I sigh and continue walking.
Whenever it rains, there are puddles. Those sly and cunning puddles. They silently wait for you to make a wrong move and step into them, ruining your new shoes. I get on tiptoes and carefully avoid them, in fear of getting my sneakers dirty and socks soaked in water. I get past the puddles and grin proudly at them. They’ll never get to ruin my shoes. Then I hear a splash, and that grin quickly turns into a frown. Oh well, my boots are wet now. The puddles win again.
I turn around, and my eyes meet a few playful kids, jumping around and into the puddles, laughing as their mothers struggle to hold the umbrella over their heads. Water splashes onto the sidewalks, the glass windows of the shops next to us, and, well, innocent pedestrians like me. I guess all that tiptoeing is for nothing. The kids look like they are having much fun, but I certainly am not. I purse my lips and sigh again. I walk past them, and the sound of laughter slowly fades away.
Everything quiets down, and I only hear the sound of water droplets bouncing around. Most land on the concrete ground and let off a soft pitter-patter sound. Some hit my umbrella, and it sounds like someone is drumming their fingers on the table. Occasionally there is the sound of distant thunder, but instead of a deafening roar, it is a soft rumble that gets silenced in the rain. I wouldn’t call it music, as that would be a stretch, but it is soothing. It allows me to temporarily forget about my jacket, that sends shivers down my spine. I stand still and breathe in the earthy smell of rain. ‘Maybe rain isn’t that bad after all,’ I thought. Whoosh! ‘Never mind.’ My momentary peace is cut short as a gust of wind rams itself into my umbrella, almost knocking it out of my hands, as if it is warning me about the cold I would catch if I continue standing in the rain. Snapping back into reality, I tighten the grip around my umbrella and drag myself toward home.
I push open my apartment door and get myself a change of clothes. The shivering cold is gone, and I am embraced by the warmth of home. I look out the window, and the calming sound of the rain finds its way back into my ears. Only this time, there is also the crisp sound of raindrops tapping on my window. I watch a drop of water slowly slide down my window and out of my view. Home is the best place to be when it’s raining.