Connection

What a wonderful Sunday! Amidst all these ugly, expensive, man-made diversions, nature shows its wonder and beauty that cannot be topped and even equalled.

I arose this morning before dawn. It's supposed to be a warm rainy day, I love rainy days. So I sat this morning checking messages and reading news with the blinds open waiting for the day to start. It was a hot humid night, and windows were all fogged up. I wanted to see out, but I couldn't see anything because of the condensation. I had nothing better to do, so I walked to the grocery store to pick up some fresh veggies for dinner. I wanted to get the shopping done before the crowds start.

On the way to the store, the planet gave me a full bright, beautiful sunrise rainbow. I was almost at the store and it seemed to get brighter and more brilliant. I couldn't stop looking, so I delayed my entrance into the store and watched, looking up at the western sky. Other people walked by. A mother and her small son turned to see what I was staring at and remarked "Pretty", then rushed into the store because it was drizzling (misting, for the Scott Adam's fans). The rain felt good in the warm air. A young overweight woman passed by and looked at me strange, I pointed at the rainbow, she quickly turned her head then kept walking to the store with a disappointed look and a roll of her eyes. She wasn't impressed. It was obvious she had more important things on her mind, she needed more food. Others passed by and just looked at me like I was a nut, I quit making eye contact and just let them pass. I surprised no one called 911 to report a man standing in the rain looking at the sky.

Then the rainbow started to dim, the rainbow's reflection disappeared and the light started to fade, then it was gone. Big sigh! I went into the store and got my produce.

I walked home in the rain, it started to rain a little harder. While the church people rushed from their apartments and homes with newspapers and umbrellas over their head, I slowly walked by and waved at them and enjoyed the rain. I imagined one of them returning "Good Morning" or a "Hi" with a "looks like its going to rain all day", and I would say "I know isn't it great, some days are so wonderful" and they would frown and yell "No", and I would just smile and give a quick chuckle. But, as always, they only gave me weird looks.

I got back to my hovel and put away the vegetables. I had a free Sunday with nothing planned. I was going on a long run tonight after a cold front had moved thru, so I couldn't go running now. What to do, what to do. I check the weather radar, and heavier rain was coming. Then it was going to be windy and cooler tonight. I just wanted to go out in the rain. So I didn't look like a complete freak just standing out in the rain, I washed my car. My thought was that if I washed the car in the rain, I wouldn't have to dry it, and since I wasn't planning on going anywhere today in my car, it wouldn't get dirty because of the wet roads.

So there I was washing my car in the rain, waving at my neighbors as they drove past on their way to church. (Everyone goes to church in Montgomery, including yours truly, sometimes. I have atheist friends that go every Sunday without fail, it's "THE" thing to do in this wretched town. The worst traffic here is the after church traffic on Sunday.) Again I was imagining what the neighbors were saying as they drove past. "Mom, why is the freaky fast-walking guy washing his car in the rain?", "Oh Look honey, there's that guy who always out running, doesn't he know its raining?", "You've got to be kidding me". Well folks, I'm out here because I enjoy it and I'm tired of doing what I'm "supposed" to do, instead of what I like to do.

I suppose that the rainbow was a bit of natural pornography and that the rain was the planet giving me some loving. I sure do feel good afterward. Should I feel guilty about being so self-indulgent this morning?

What's so amazing that keeps us star gazing
and what do we think we might see?
Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection.
The lovers, the dreamers and me.

Click here for the song: The Rainbow Connection