I havent thought this through completely, but I wanted to get it down before I forget it/my internet stops working like everyone else's did.
The monsoons are back. (ask and ye shall receive...)
and with a vengeance.
Ada and I went to eat very close to our apartment, and then when we left 45 minutes later it was POURING. There is actually 1.5 ft of water outside of our building. So much for the leather flats I just ruined.
But as we were walking back and my massive black rain jacket appeared to protect me from the rain (somewhat), I was thinking about how the rain affects the city. We all stand under buildings, regardless of age, class, race, background etc. We all laugh about how CRAZY it is right now. We have the shift whatever plans we have and account for challenges along the way. Our clothes our soaked. And still there are smiles and laughter because it is FINALLY cooling down.
But then you turn and look at the people huddled in a store front, soaked and holding their belongings in their laps. Everything they own is being either ruined or soaked by the rain. A little girl in a soaked yellow dress watched wrappers floating through the streams falling from a pipe and into the sewage system. Her bare feet nearly invisible under the streams of brown water. Her mom was sitting huddled with her other children in the dark storefront, protecting them with her body.
I went home to my apartment and took off everything I was wearing that soaked through. It is all hanging in my clean, dry space.
I know that I have options. They are staring me in the face right now. But imagine spending an evening outside watching it flood and wondering how long you can sit in your space, shivering and wet before the waters reach you?
... I guess it's not an equalizer.
The monsoons are back. (ask and ye shall receive...)
and with a vengeance.
Ada and I went to eat very close to our apartment, and then when we left 45 minutes later it was POURING. There is actually 1.5 ft of water outside of our building. So much for the leather flats I just ruined.
But as we were walking back and my massive black rain jacket appeared to protect me from the rain (somewhat), I was thinking about how the rain affects the city. We all stand under buildings, regardless of age, class, race, background etc. We all laugh about how CRAZY it is right now. We have the shift whatever plans we have and account for challenges along the way. Our clothes our soaked. And still there are smiles and laughter because it is FINALLY cooling down.
But then you turn and look at the people huddled in a store front, soaked and holding their belongings in their laps. Everything they own is being either ruined or soaked by the rain. A little girl in a soaked yellow dress watched wrappers floating through the streams falling from a pipe and into the sewage system. Her bare feet nearly invisible under the streams of brown water. Her mom was sitting huddled with her other children in the dark storefront, protecting them with her body.
I went home to my apartment and took off everything I was wearing that soaked through. It is all hanging in my clean, dry space.
I know that I have options. They are staring me in the face right now. But imagine spending an evening outside watching it flood and wondering how long you can sit in your space, shivering and wet before the waters reach you?
... I guess it's not an equalizer.
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