i used to walk in the rain as a child sheeting rain coming down like bars so thick you could put your hand through them drenching soaked to the skin clothes clinging like every wet t-shirt contest you ever wanted to laugh at drops pelting your skin as the wind picked up handfuls of water and tossed them full-armed throw in your face fat warm drops of rain never got cold never got chilled just laughing and running not trying to outrace the rain because that was the point to get wet in the sheer joy of sweet summer rain smell of wet earth and trees steam rising from sun-baked ground and black clouds at noon five-minute storm then past thunder rolling like god's dice with the universe