Rogue Showers

Spent the morning sipping coffee with some new friends who ended up buying this one. It had rained overnight and even though the sun was out and bright, every time I thought to hike up into the hills for this view, another shower would come through and soak everything anew. ⠀
⠀
But that was just fine.⠀
⠀
I like coffee.⠀
⠀
And I really like coffee out of an unfamiliar mug. It means new places, new people, new horizons…⠀
⠀
And I especially really like coffee over the meandering conversations that happen after spending the night on a makeshift bed in the middle of an unfamiliar living room with borrowed blankets exactly like the ones we used in my grandparents home long ago.⠀
⠀
Rotating the leaning mug in circles on its edge, nearly empty now, feeling the tile and grout through stone-cold ceramic vibrations over a pause in the conversation as another downpour passes through and signals that it’s time for yet one more warmup. Yes, please. Fill it to the rim, and where were we?⠀⠀
Discussing gardens and children and work and real estate and history and multiple versions of tomorrow- none of which look anything like today. ⠀
⠀
Just one short year ago we could bounce down the road and in and out of each other’s lives, enriching, sharing, cross-pollinating ideas, enjoying our human experience in proximities that feel scandalous by these pandemic standards we find ourselves living now. ⠀
⠀
It’s ok to miss those times and yearn for them again…⠀
⠀
When the most pressing thing in the world was getting to know a generous stranger over another cup of coffee in their home while discussing mountain lions and poetry and the hopefully imminent end of these rogue showers.⠀
⠀
As for this day, the showers lasted longer than they were forecasted. There finally came a good break and up the hill I went. But by the time I finished this one, drops were falling yet again and I had to pack it up quickly to avoid an unwanted soaking.