2009-02-19T16:27:00.000-08:00

C'mon Raaaaaaain Down On Me

They say that a month in London and in the Western Sahara will make you develop a new appreciation for water.

That, and a week in a Georgian apartment without air conditioning. I cannot tell you how much I love the rain now. I was nearly dancing, I was so overjoyed to step out into this rainy day.

Today on my way to class, I passed by a lush, bright tree and noticed a bird hopping underneath the branches, looking for shelter from the drizzle.

A memory that I had nearly forgotten suddenly came flooding back to me, and I smiled remembering how I had huddled with Larry underneath the trees at the Radiohead concert. It was a tremendously hot day, the steam from the pouring rain hiding everyone but Larry from my view. We soon realized that seeking shelter was pointless -- we were just as wet as we would be had we decided to swim in the pond that was once the parking lot of the venue, and furthermore -- Radiohead simply wasn't going to play in this weather. So we ran to the pick-up truck, peeled off our wet clothes, and watched the world, bright green and white, from the foggy windows of the truck.

And then that memory led me to recall the Radiohead concert with Kati. Thom began to sing "Paranoid Android," and when he got to Rain down / rain down / c'mon rain down / on me / from a great height / from a great heeeeight / heiiiiiiiiiight the heavens opened up and giant, fat raindrops poured down upon us. Kati and I didn't care who saw us -- we swung our arms up high and just relished the moment.

And then that made me remember the boy in Italy. I recall running through the rain when I heard a whistle. I looked up and this boy motioned for me to come. I was hesitant. He smiled, standing on his balcony in the most beautiful flat I had ever seen in the whole time I had been in Italy, and held up a cookie. I smiled. With roses fringing the windows and majestic doors that opened up to a spacious balcony, I couldn't resist. We made sweet love that day and I never saw him again.

If a few raindrops cause me to dance in the alleyway and daydream on the way to class after a week of 95-degree apartment whether, I wonder what a month in Northern Africa will do to me?

Mark and Cream