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Liquid Joy

Rain has come to the desert. Finally.

Believe it or not, when it rains in the desert, excitement reins. Desert dwellers locked in classrooms do not get anxious and antsy when the sun shines. That is not when they beg to go out and play. Desert dwellers love the rain.

From the smallest to the largest, the desert dwellers will arrive at school today soaking wet from splashing in the puddles. While they are in class they will beg to be allowed outside. As they change classes or visit the restroom they will deliberately walk beneath overflowing gutters and tromp through the sidewalk rivers. Spirits will be high.

As they steam dry in classrooms they will begin to smell like wet hamsters. The room will grow humid. The door will have to be opened to allow in fresh, cool air. Into the room will also flow the drum beat of the rain — the scent, the sound, the excitement — and no work will be done today.

I hope the children will behave better than I.

Quilly is the pseudonym of Charlene L. Amsden, who lives on The Big Island in Hawaii. When she is not hanging out with Amoeba, she is likely teaching or sewing. Or she could be cooking, taking photographs, or even writing. But if she's not doing any of that, she's probably on Facebook or tinkering with her blog.

20 Comments

  1. I remember how, as a child in a grade school classroom, the rain sealed us all in a sense of community that wasn’t there before it all started coming down. It got intimate and warm and cozy. The Elmer’s continued to flow on the green and red construction paper. Wow. It’s all coming back. Nothing like rain outside a classroom, Quill. Thank you for that.

  2. Spring time here in Amsterdam has been really strangely (and wonderfully) dry. Perhaps you got our rain?

    Elementary schools smell like hasmsters. That’s not strange. Hampsters with perfume? Probably not too strange in Amsterdam.

  3. Polona — even before I came to the desert I loved rain. I love storms.

    Morgan — I’ve been given to understand that not much is considered strange in Amsterdam — except, perhaps, your spelling. :D.

  4. I can TOTALLY relate to this! And I’ve never lived in the dessert … ever. I’m pullin’ on my splashin’ boots… it’s COLD here in MD!

  5. Quilly-Sister, we’re having some of that ‘liquid joy’ here (we’re back home now) and believe me, there is no JOY in it for me! I want to dig in the garden! In the sunshine! 🙂

  6. I love listening to the rain, especially when you can hear it landing on a roof. I find it so peaceful and relaxing.

    Enjoyed reading this post, I didn’t know you had a classroom full of Gene Kelly’s.

  7. I love the rain and the snow. Happy rain day to you.

    LOL @Now the room will smell like wet hamsters wearing perfume. That just cracked me up. 🙂

  8. Dr. John — snow, ditto. Rain, I love!

    Melli — I’d invite you to come play in our warm rain, but the rain left and the warm stayed. It’s unusually muggy here now.

    Jackie — mud pies!

    Bill — I especially like rain on the roof when it sings me to sleep.

    Donna — it does, too! Come take a whiff!

  9. It’s rained so rarely here in the past year that when it does, I take Elijah outside so he can learn the joy that is the smell of fresh rain. Mmmmmmm

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