Sunshower

“Sunshower”

“It’s the last day of summer,” he said.

Two strangers sat together side by side beneath the oak tree in an empty park. The sun was shining, and the clouds drifted into the horizon as a cool breeze gently sifted through the almost-desolate area. For the past two hours, they simply remained in the park – wandering the area, running around, all while stirring up a whirlwind of summer memories.

The stranger beside him answered in reply, “It is.” She glanced at the vacant park before adding, “Everything will be different tomorrow. Life goes on.” They had met each other in that very park every day for the past week, exchanging thoughts and keeping the other company. He wondered how this stranger who he knew next-to-nothing about seemed to know him like an old friend, and vice versa. There was something intriguing about her, but he just couldn’t put his finger on what it was.

The smell of rain suddenly pervaded his sense of smell, announcing the arrival of a light drizzle. He stood up, “We should probably look for shelter before it starts raining too hard. Come on.”

She, however, thought otherwise. Standing up along with him, she suggested, “Since it’s the last day of summer, why not have some fun?” Immediately, it started pouring like there was no tomorrow, but the sun’s rays still glimmered through the sheets of cloudburst – it was a sunshower. Was it a sign to do so?

Pondering for a moment, he then agreed with a relenting, “Fine.” Together, they set forth around the empty park. The sun still beaming, the rain still pouring, two strangers ended up playing tag mixed with some other made-up game. For these two, time did not matter at that moment, for the moment lived for itself.

How long did we play in the rain? He did not know. During that little moment in time, he felt free, and so did she. Gone were all the inhibitions once exhibited by these now free spirits. Instead they were replaced by an open fragility in both of them, willing to let go of the...