...and then, it started to rain

[brightlotusmoon]

When I was growing up, in 1980s Brooklyn, NY, there wasn't a whole lot of entertainment outside of my imagination. Our apartment was tiny, and luckily we had a huge backyard with trees and gardens, and my father was the superintendent of all three connected apartment buildings (Quentin Road on Kings Highway), and I was the only child in all three buildings, so I got to come and go in that yard as I pleased. All the neighbors knew my parents as artists who painted murals on local buildings, and they all babysat me at one point or another. My television watching was limited to Saturday mornings and movies I watched with my parents. I had books. I had lots of books. My parents read to me every single night, sitting on my bed surrounded by stuffed animals (I refused to sleep without every single stuffed animal with me; my bed was against a wall and that wall was lined with toys). When I got old enough to read with them -- at age three -- it became a game. Dad or Mom would read one chapter, I'd read the next (We had a lot of fun with Dragonworld, which was nearly 600 pages of epic fantasy, and I was six years old). We played lots of games. One of those games was modified by my cousin Luciano, son of my oldest uncle Luciano. I was still the baby of the family. Cousin Luciano would visit or we'd visit him and his wife, Wendy, a famous entertainer. While Wendy made me hats and costumes out of paper plates, we'd all sit around telling "And Then..." stories. Someone would start out with a story, and after a certain point, would turn to the next person and say, "And then..." and the new storyteller would pick up with "and then..." and continue the story. Cousin Luciano and Wendy started the idea of interjecting into every story the line "And then... it started to rain. And it rained, and it rained, and it rained." No matter what the story was about (and it was usually fantasy, because I was obsessed with unicorns and dragons and faeries), at one point or another, someone would start with the rain. It always rained.
I didn't need television, really, because of the "And Then..." stories. I miss that.

Last night, storm clouds piled on top of one another, trying to blot out the sun.
And then... it started to rain.
And it rained, and it rained, and it rained.
I was alone in the house, with the cats. Lightning makes me nervous and paranoid, although rationally I know I shouldn't panic so much during rainstorms, because the rain would put out any fires. But I'm paranoid about fire. Thankfully, Adam shares this paranoia, which is why there is a long, thick rope tied to our bedroom window, and why Adam eventually wants to build a sort of fire escape. Meanwhile, all I think about is how to get the cats out that window safely.
As thunder crashed and lightning flashed and rain lashed, I sat up in bed unable to sleep. Jupiter hopped up onto the bed, with a plastic bottle cap in his mouth, asking to play fetch. I played with him for a bit, until he settled down by my feet and curled up. A few minutes later, Luna came into the room, jumped onto the bed, walked onto my chest, nuzzled my face, and settled down next to Jupiter, curling up against him. I finally managed to fall asleep just before midnight.
And it rained, and it rained, and it rained.
Still raining.

It's raining in Brooklyn too. I wonder how Luciano and Wendy are doing.

Comments

[sigma7.livejournal.com]

I can't help but think about Art of Noise's Debussy concept album. It did introduce to me the idea of making any scenario incrementally worse with just four little words:

"When Debussy died on March the 25th, 1918 in Paris, it was being bombarded by the Germans. And it was raining."

Death. Bombardment. Germans. Oh, and in case that wasn't enough, raining.

(Though I confess, me, I like the raining.)

And now, with my modernized mythology, I can't help but think of this exchange....

"It was raining when we met."
"It's the same rain."

[brightlotusmoon.livejournal.com]

1) I love Art Of Noise. I had all their albums when I was a teen and would listen to them ad nauseum.

2) I found this incredibly funny and have been laughing quietly for several minutes.

3) SALLY SPARROW NEEDS TO BE THE DOCTOR'S NEXT COMPANION. *ahem*
I love that little but of dialogue so much. Old Billy made me cry.

[sigma7.livejournal.com]

I'm not much for celebrity crushes, but Sally Sparrow was just...perfect. The only reason I wouldn't want to see her again would be that she seems to have found her happiness and escaped from a brush with the Doctor's world intact, unlike so many others, and I like her enough not to begrudge her that.

Of all the secondary/tertiary characters I've seen on the show, she's definitely my favorite. If she did return, I'd be nothing short of delighted. Miles/Tennant made a better couple, but Milligan is just...glbxjwjsk.

And if you haven't seen this YouTube clip, you simply must. I had no idea the Angels were actors. And Tennant...well, he's priceless, as ever.

[brightlotusmoon.livejournal.com]

Everything you said, I agree heartily with.
I'm watching that clip now and giggling happily.

[dragonf1re.livejournal.com]

I remember sitting on the porch of my mom's best friend "Back East" (in Scranton, PA), as a kid, when it would rain. It was humid, all the houses were victorian style with creaky wood stairs, and everywhere in Scranton had the same strong rain smell. Tall, droopy trees lined the streets, the sidewalks were made of slate, and it was always very quiet and peaceful when it rained.

[greenteadragon.livejournal.com]

Beautiful narrative! I love rain. I love to sit next to an open window, curled up with a good book when it rains. Ben teases me that we should move to England since I love rain so much.

It's amazing how much you use your imagination when you're an only child. I was an only child until I turned 8 and I had an incredibly active imagination. I vividly remember the elaborate stories I created when I played make believe. Toys were fun, but I happiest with a big cardboard box that turned into a cabin in the woods, a space ship or a refuge from the storm...

[walksbeauty.livejournal.com]

No wonder you are such a great story weaver... you got lots of wonderful practice! "And then" is so FUN! I'd play with you! We would have fun...

Rain is due here again, too. After living so long in Seattle the change to the SW was drastic. I LOVE the air, sky & sun here and when it rains, I go ecstatic! And swim all summer in the lake since the water element here is so precious! From the NW to the SW was an interesting transition! yin to yang!

BTW, did you get your package???

[brightlotusmoon.livejournal.com]

I can only imagine how the climate change would be!

I just got the package today! THANK YOU. What a great surprise!!

[walksbeauty.livejournal.com]

Hope the smell is less acrid and that it's a nice treat for you!

[brightlotusmoon.livejournal.com]

It is a bit less acrid, yes. Still smells like kratom tea, but now it's more pleasant. :)