Rain Game

Every child has misbehaved in choir, at least once, and probably lots of times.

Last night the all-night-rain reminded me of a naughty children’s choir.

At one point the ‘rain-children’ were crescendo-ing off beat, singing louder, and louder and louder until the poor conductor finally shouted, with a clap, “STOP”!!!!!
And for a moment the children become docile. Soon the conductor gracefully lifts his finger from his lips in the familiar ‘silence’ gesture. He is ready to expand the melody, with arms flowing, the children giggle, and sing in perfect rhapsodic harmony, but before the conductor has a chance to offer the next guidance, the children giggle again and break into raging Russian discordance.
The song-game goes on for hours, the children tireless in their mischief. The conductor, you can tell, is flustered at first, then gives in lovingly to the rain-game. He begins wielding his arms in wild motion, no rhythm, no rhyme, no reason. The children stop laughing to watch his tirade.
What’s the harm he says, let’s have fun tonight! Tomorrow our practice will be serious.
The rain-children exhaust themselves, the thunder-conductor too. They all fall asleep with a whimper.

I awoke refreshed this morning.
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