I have always loved the rain - the sweet smell of it as it waters the parched earth, the fresh look it gives all plants, trees and tiny life-forms. It truly is beautiful.

Whenever I’m fortunate enough to be caught in the rain, I never run. Is it because of some desperate attempt to maintain my steeze? No. I just believe that if you’re already wet, you might as well allow the rain to soak you completely. Plus. I always feel awesome when everyone around me is running for cover and I’m just walking casually like the main character in my own story. Hehe.

However, something happened one day that cemented my belief in never running in the rain.

I was taking a stroll with my very good friend by the name of Tersoo when it began raining.  Naturally, I didn’t want or need to run, but Tersoo was practically melting. He tried to get me to scurry away with him but I refused.

Now, bear in mind that it was evening and a little bit dark, so when Tersoo abandoned me and began to run for cover, I felt very betrayed.  

Maybe it was because I told him I hoped he broke his leg, or maybe it was because… well, it was raining and the ground was slippery, but the next thing I saw was Tersoo’s legs in the air as he landed butt first into a muddy puddle.  I stopped walking and stared in disbelief, not really sure that had just happened.

Two girls happened to be walking behind us and they were very beautiful. In fact, they were so beautiful that Tersoo had been going on about them for a while before I begged him to stop, and like some cosmic joke, they had also witnessed his shame.

The girls rushed past me as fast as the muddy ground would let them and stood on both sides of my disgraced friend. Together, they held him up by the arms and lifted him from the ground. There were several hushed “Sorry’s” from the girls and whispered “thank you’s” from Tersoo.

Once they were sure he could stand again, they left him alone and walked away.

By this point, I had caught up and was now standing beside him. I said nothing, but the silent “You should have listened to me” was loud. The rain was coming down hard, but Tersoo couldn’t care less. He stood in that puddle like a drenched rat till he was sure the girls were a safe distance away, then we began walking again. 

There was something I didn’t understand, so I asked him, “Why did you remain on the ground after you fell?”

His answer was simple and expected.

“I knew they saw me. I was hoping they’d just walk past me. In fact, it would have been better for me if I just drowned in the stupid water.” I should have been a good friend and consoled him then, but I burst out laughing instead. Tersoo simply hissed and walked away.

I learnt a valuable lesson from his mistake, (Which is the best way to learn a lesson anyway – from someone else’s mistakes) unless it’s a matter of life and death, never run in the rain.