The Year It Didn't Rain

The year it didn't rain, Jamie went off to discover America. he bought an old RV. a big one. he got himself a sheltie. he called her Joanie. she was just the right size for an RV: he named the RV Hio Silver. He billed himself as a singer and a dancer and offered to entertain for suppers and breakfasts but not for lunch - which was usually leftovers or fruit and yogurt. he had a small pension. enough. he had a love for women and children. he had two boys of his own. well. not boys anymore. way into their thirties. two grand kids even. but he had a good body. still strong. from having been a firefighter all of his life. he loved to fish and play touch football and soccer and was good with boats. so he always could make acquaintances at the RV sites. life was not so bad. not at all. he kept trying to follow the rain. or to get just ahead of it. one or the other...he ran the rains for almost three years.

sometimes he was happy. usually he was content. he especially loved the singing. he was getting good. sometimes he was lonely. but people talked with him a lot. they especially loved Joanie. she was such a great pal. she was a kind dog. gracious to everybody in her smart herding-sort-of-way.

when Jamie met Janet he was suddenly happy. it had been raining all day. he was by the ocean and it was wild. the waves were high and violent. the sand was shifting in the heavy winds in spite of the rain packing down every grain. the leaves of trees nearby were waving like some raggedy banners in these winds. Hio Silver was rattling and and rolling with the blow. it made the dry time newly gone seem safe and sound in comparison. but it was good. it was lots of water. these parts needed the water.

Janet come in with the blow. she left the road and went down to where the RVs were gathered like covered- wagons circled in the sandy camp lot. her car had been blowing about on the road so scary that she pulled over and went down to see if shelter was below: in those gray shadows of larger vehicles that could survive this storm. she wanted in. would risk the strangers. in hopes of being warm and safe until the rains would blow away inland. she chose Jamie's first because Joanie was at the window. waching the storm the way some animals do. she made his RV warm-looking. friendly-like. so Janet banged hard on the little door. and Jamie let her in.

she was wet and bedraggled. like torn petals of a flower…all color and dripping and leaves hung down. they introduced each other quickly back and forth. he was sorry he didn't have some nice wife or sister or something to make her feel safe with him. he held up Joanie as a peace offering. Janet seemed to accept that. she hung up her coat carefully, not to get water on his coat. suggested old newspapers to keep the water off the floor. so they did that. he offered her coffee. she accepted. she was accepting and tired and warm all at once. he was explaining who he was and what he was doing on the road. all rapid-fire. like his simple past was part of why she would be safe. just until the squall bit went over inland. they agreed on that. he found a towel and a blanket and put on the heat. low. to preserve the propane. to take the chill off. did she want something to eat? he had cans of soup. she accepted.

there was something slow motion about everything they were doing and saying. time was slowing down quite a bit. the world was narrowing in to these two and a sweet little dog. Joanie was comfy as can be between these two. animals know when things are going OK. Janet ran her fingers just right over Joanie's ears. this was all good. the RV would give a little shudder in the wind now and again. it was like a sigh of content tho. not anything to fear or worry about. they began to talk. casual at first. then as if they had known each other for a long time.

turned out she was from Salinas like he was. they were several years apart in school. but maybe they had seen each other on campus. maybe…she had been all bookish. she had been in way different circles than he had been. he had been all sports and wild parties. he was good-hearted and very popular. she hadn't been wild. but she had been popular in her own way. a good girl. on to college she went. on to the fire trucks he went. separate paths. both OK tho. they eagerly agreed about that. they both thought the government was rotten too...they shared their politics busily. finding this in common was fun. then they had the same ideas about relationships too. they went around this part of life very gingerly. being careful. being that they were, of course, strangers. both divorced tho. she had no kids. he talked about his kids. how they all got along so good... so well.....

she got up and washed his few dishes during the time he went to the john. wiped off the table. outside the rain was showing no let-up. The sky was getting darker with night coming on. the clock was showing an hour that was getting too late for leaving. he respectfully bought out blankets and a sheet and pillow and pointed out that the sofa was very comfortable as a bed as well. she asked to make a phone call. she had her cell. so it was strange that she asked. but he didn't worry about it. maybe her minutes were low. he let her use his. she called a woman. spoke low. explained that the storm was wild and she was going to stay in a safe place until morning. that 'they' could call her there to check on her, if they wanted. or she would call them in the morning. it was all OK. in every way. so far...

they both went to sleep. Joanie curled up at Janet's feet. in the dawn, the sun was up again. the sky was almost clear. the sea busy with morning waves. not storm waves. Janet took a shower. looked fresh and clean somehow. made breakfast for them. not bothered by his very basic kitchen. cheerful about the little bit of room.  tidied up the place and her bedding. wrote down some numbers and her address. asked him to come by and visit with her when he'd go back to Salinas. she was still working there as a school teacher. he wasn't wild about going back to Salinas. but he liked her. so he said sure. in just a week or so. he'd come to visit.

he was going to see America. see what it was all about. go lots more places. that was the plan. winter in the south. move to cooler places in the summer. just enjoy the spring and the fall everywhere. it was always beautiful in the spring and the fall. everywhere...but Janet was in Salinas. and he could get her out of his  mind. only that didn't happen. she was always there. somewhere in his head…

he would email her sometimes. he had heard from her that some old boyfriend from school was going with her now. they were getting really close. probably they were going to try to live together. sometimes she would send him her writings. they were good. she was working on her craft. that's what she called her stories and poems. her ‘craft’. he had always thought about writing about his travels. but he hadn't yet. he thought maybe she could write his stories for him. strange thought. why would she want to do that? not a good idea... Joanie watched him pacing the RV. this was not his usual self. he was preoccupied. she sighed the way dogs sometimes do.

he didn't go to Salinas. he went south to the lakes out where it didn't rain much. it hadn't rained for a year in fact. he was getting used to desert. going to Salinas seemed like asking for rain. best to let rain pick its own path. not to disturb what was going to be. not to go after love again. life was good. after all. no struggles. no one washing your dishes when you least expected it. no one being all warm on your sofa at night. you in your own snug bed. all wishing that she would just come into the little bed area. that she would just kiss you once. on the lips. where love was surely probably hiding…

the year it hadn't rained had made the face of the land all cracked and dry. the lake offered some relief. he splashed the lake water on his face. it refreshed his cracked and dry skin. washed away the salt of the few tears that had come down the cracks in his face…

he smiled up to the faces of friends coming down to the water from their RVs to welcome him back. how are things? they asked.

well…

we had some rain… he said that slowly.

it got quiet. like an ending.

yep... he stood up and smiled some more…

we surely had

some rain….