Weather

I love the wind. It is my favorite weather phenomenon. A gentle breeze is refreshing, but a strong, gusty wind, that invigorates me. As I was walking today, the wind whipped up. It slapped me, full on, pushing me back, causing my hair to blind me, whooshing this way and that. Fallen leaves quickly rustled across the sidewalk. Branches swerved, swayed, and creaked. I was disappointed, when, as quickly as it had come, it left.

A haze hung in the air. I blinked several times, attempting to clear my eyes. I soon realized the cloudy haze was reality, not my eyesight. As I walked to Old Salem, a minerallyness in the air assaulted me. All around I could smell the rain, but I could not feel it. Not yet. Every now and then one, maybe two, drops of rain would plunk my nose. I would start to open my umbrella, then wait. Nothing more. I continued walking.

Several times I heard the roll of thunder, distant, but loud. Claps so strong they shook my stomach. The rumbles startled me. I watched; I waited. Nothing.

I arrived home after a couple of hours of walking. I searched the skies. Still nothing but gray. Just the threat of a storm.

I poured a cup of coffee and gathered today’s mail. Bill. Advertisement. Catalog. Bill. Letter. I took those things worth reading to the balcony with my coffee. As I sat there, mindlessly flipping through the printed matter in front of me, I was rewarded for my patience.

The flash shocked me. I glanced up just in time to see the bolt of lightning split the distant sky. Only moments later the BOOM of thunder was right upon me. And the wind. The powerful, gusty, unrelenting force. Followed by a few scattered, heavy drops, then a deluge. The drops pelted my face, my hot skin welcoming the cool pellets.

All around me is a dull roar – that of water overflowing gutters, that of temporary streams forming in the streets. I am happy.