This Saturday, the second Saturday of the month, I was answering phones at the local sobriety intergroup office.

About an hour before our time was up, it started to rain. POUR. DELUGE. I had to take off my sandals to get to the car and was soaked to the skin after walking 15 feet. It was wonderful. The smell of the parched dirt absorbing rain, yes there is a smell for that, was delicious. I thought “how refreshing.” I also thought that I hoped it was doing this in the north end of town where my garden lives as it could use a good drink. A good FREE drink from the Mama.*

The other phone people? Were complaining about how crappy the summer was. I’ve been hearing this whiny bullshit since April from people all over the place. No one, it appears, wants rain. Everyone wants nothing but sun. All the time. They are all talking about moving south.  G’head. Please move. Then you’ll be begging us for our water. It just freaks me out that so many people, especially ones who say they are pagan or who say they love the earth, can be so disconnected from the reality.

I said that I was loving the rain as the water was feeding people.

FEEDING PEOPLE? my friend says with contempt and disgust. That rain isn’t feeding any one.

It’s soaking the P-Patches in town and they feed people.**

They don’t feed The People my friend says.

Well they feed SOME people. That counts.

No it doesn’t.  It does’t feed the masses so it’s a waste and it’s ruined my summer. I fucking hate it here.

Oh my god. If I was that kind of person I’d have slapped him till his eyes crossed. He just can’t be for real. But he is. Where on earth does he think the water comes from? Are 200 people fed once a week with free organic produce of no consequence?  From every P-Patch in town? How many people is that? Do the squirrels and cats and dogs and birds and raccoons and possums and ants in my town, do they not count? Do they not deserve a drink now and then? I have to fill the water bowls every other day in my yard.  What about the animals and birds living in town where no one leaves them water?  They depend on the infrequent summer rains. Doesn’t the rose sigh in gratitude when the water drop first hits its leaves?

If everyone did something like that everyone in the world would eat. But it’s selfish, heartless bastards like that who are obsessed with pretty leather shoes and snappy fedoras that keep us believing in separate ego.  This is the man who says that if The End comes he’s going to strap on a back pack and hike north and cross the river to where there is open land for growing things…  Dude.  He says that hiking over to my friend’s house a couple miles away and pooling our resources is stupid.  He thinks we’re idiots.  Good luck on that hike dude.  And good luck on crossing that river.  Chances are you’ll have to borrow a boat.  Hmmm, what do you think you can barter for that service? That snappy fedora?  Or a volunteer tomato plant in a coffee can?  How are you going to water your crops in August? Fucktard.

Does he think that the rain will last forever? It’s a summer shower, common and welcome in August.  I’m still saddened, stunned, disgusted. I’m also grateful that the Mama? Listens to me, not him.  I had to leave so I could go bask in the rainy goodness in peace.  I smiled and sighed in the car all the way home. Through the worst traffic in months.  And it was bliss to have those drops plop and to smell the earth in gratitude for the respite through my open window.

Aaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

* It wasn’t.  It was a bit damp at home so I had to water thoroughly.  yeah, that ruined the summer.

** P-Patch community gardeners show their concern for the value of fresh organic vegetables by supplying 7 to 10 tons of produce to Seattle food banks each year.