Downpours

So, like I was saying, half-way down the road and the sky opens up -- big, sloppy dollops of cold rain splattering all over us. I pulled over quickly, scrambling to a skid in someone's gravel driveway, put it in neutral, yanked the brake and jumped out to start putting the roof up. Shadow had no idea what was going on and was jumping around excitedly in the back. Finally got the roof up and decided to forego the windows, as the back was already pretty well soaked and the splatter in from the windows wouldn't even be noticable. And so, we drove home like that, soaked to the skin and really wanting to get out and jump around some deep puddles. I really like sudden summer rainstorms, where it seems to come down all at once and fills the gutters with temporary rivers. On occasion, I'll run outside and stomp around, getting all wet (can't be partially wet, you know... it's just icky) until my hair drips and I feel completely washed by the sky. It's like that "urge to submerge" I start getting around the end of summer, if I haven't been anywhere near the ocean lately. Every once in a while, I have to feel like, and I know this sounds corny, the Earth is enveloping me (in the case of swimming in the ocean) or it's washing itself over me (as in the case of a sudden, summer rainstorm). It's a cleansing experience, I guess.

And it's even better if you're able to do it while running around your backyward stark naked!