205. Rain

Early this morning, right about 3:00 am, the rain started. As I have all three of the windows in my bedroom up to enjoy the cool overnight air, I slowly but certainly became aware of the pitter-patter of rain drops against the gutters and the overhang which jut ever-so-slightly out from my home, creating not-quite a front porch.

Eventually I raised up enough to look out the north-facing window toward the traffic-lighted intersection about a half block away, adjusting my barely-awakened eyesight to the prism-like scenes of the raindrops against the red, yellow, and green lights of the traffic signal. As if in awe, I kept this lookout for a minute or two, much as I do each year, usually about this time, when the first snowflakes of what will become Winter fall in our city, a sight which has always put a smile on my face.

It has been a while since we had a good rain.

*****

Today is the birthday of a Cuban emigre, my friend Irving, an anglicised form of his given name, Irvis. He has been in the States since late 1994 and has rented property from me since 1999, property which he has markedly improved in the nine years of his tenancy, improvements for which I am grateful. It is also the birthday of my friend John Miller, a 1992 graduate of Atherton High School whose present whereabouts are unknown. Cheers to both of them.