The rains are falling and I’ve to say I like it.
“I’ll tell you why you seem to like clouds and rain.”
“Please do so.”
“It is because you yourself are one cloudy fellow. Always drab. You don’t easily mix with others, you don’t go on nights on the town. You’re not part of conversations and just sit there. And…
That is not a word for word replay. A short time back we were talking about the devastating quakes that hit Turkey and Syria and caused so much damage. There was this widely shared conspiracy theory that the quakes weren’t natural occurring and rather man made. There were a lot of articles who delve into what they call modern scientific advances and trying to explain all the process of how the quakes are triggered. I’ve heard that they can make rains and things like that. But I’m not sure what we mean when we talk about man made rains. If the science is so advanced and science could make rains why is there so many droughts even in the most developed countries. In fact a why should there be drought in any part of the world. Isn’t science all about seeking the good of mankind!
Anyway we were talking about such things when the talk stirred to our likes and dislikes of weather conditions. Four of us being present the three said they hated clouds and rain. You could tell from the contours on their faces that they meant what they were saying. Me, on the other hand was the odd guy out. All in the group being aware of my liking for cloudy weather and rains as long as they don’t hide me from moving place to place I didn’t need to explain. But no I wasn’t to be let off that lightly. One said, “Why do you like cloudy weather?”
Well, not a tough question to tell you the truth. But no doubt it’s a tricky one. In the first place is not the kind of question for which it’s a little difficult to give a straight and clear answer. I mean there must be something to make you like or dislike something.
“Why do you like that restaurant?”
“Well it is a well-managed and a quiet place where you don’t hear much noise. Their services, too, are customer-friendly.”
“When, I look for quiet places restaurants are the last places I go too. You’re one weird guy.”
So, though it is difficult to find the right words I think I like the cloudy weather and the rains (the little ones!) because of that melancholic atmosphere they create which is simply God-sent for reading and writing. Now my problem is when you tell many guys that a cloudy weather somewhat increases the urge to read something or anything for that matter. Anyway I’ve to respond to the guy’s question.
“Well the cloudy weather is for me the perfect condition to read those beefy novels among other things.” What began as a smile at the edges of his mouth wasn’t anything like that; it was a smirk!
And the ugliest one, too. I don’t know why when these days you tell people the first thing you enjoy doing is reading you notice the changes across their features; you know, those “Oh, not another one!” sort of changes. I know a guy who seems that his first and last mission on planet earth is reading. And whenever asked about his pastime and what he enjoys doing he used to say, “Reading books;” But no more. These days people, even the ones he thinks were themselves avid readers, simply smirk at hearing him talk about the virtues of reading, or give him those; “Does the guy think he’s fooling us!” side glances.
So he decided not only to stop talking about reading; but also keeping his distance from people who he thinks actually hate books. “How can you talk to anyone who hates books!” he’d quiz you. They say, “The easier the decision the harder it is to make.” Yes deciding to let go someone who you’ve known for quite a while because they hate books is tough. You know your actions might be interpreted for all the wrong reasons. “Who does he think he is? William Shakespeare or something! To tell you the truth I never liked him. I think who do too much reading have some mental problems.” Ha! That is the most vicious punch under the belt!
By the way there is this thing I hear from the even the supposedly clear thinking fellows; “What’s rain to Addis! It should rain only in the countryside!”
Search your music data and listen to that wonderful, “Rainy Night in Georgia’ piece. It’s on the house!
The Ethiopian Herald 19 March 2023