Pocket Memo #92 A Shortcut on a Rainy Day -A Mysterious Entrance-

■Today's Pocket Memo
Child Bath Scale

***

It is raining.
Puddles are forming.

Children love puddles.
They stick one foot into a puddle.
Splash, splash, splash.

Perhaps they gain courage as they go.
Before you know it, both feet are inside the puddle.
They stomp their feet hard, sending water flying.

Hahaha.
I can hear their laughter.

The hand that should have been holding an umbrella...
Swings both arms around while still holding the umbrella.

They look like they are having a wonderful time.

***

I am heading from the office to the station.
I don't want to get too wet in the rain.

Because this is the shortest route.

Making a bit of an excuse to myself.
I walk quickly toward the station along a slightly dim path I don't usually take.
On the way there.

I found a large puddle.
***

The rain is heavy today.

It is blowing in at an angle.
I have an umbrella, but water is dripping from the hem of my jacket.
A large puddle.

...That's it.

Now is the time to try that.
I'm already wet anyway.
I quickly look left and right.

No one is around.
Alright.

I take a running start and head toward the puddle.
Once I am freed from the worry of getting wet.

I start to feel a bit excited.
Splash.

...I should have just jumped in, but.
With a deep thud, my body sank.

In an instant, the water was over my head.
Oh no. What did I fall into?

***

I cannot keep my eyes open underwater.

Before I knew it.
The umbrella I was holding had slipped from my hand.
I cannot breathe underwater.

I have to get my face above the surface no matter what.
I flail my arms to paddle.

My hand hit something.
I grab it desperately.
I can't hold my breath anymore. It's painful.

When I pulled on whatever I had grabbed.

My body was pulled along with it.
My face broke the surface.
Hah. Hah.

Oxygen. Oxygen.
I have never been so grateful for the oxygen in the air.

I take a deep breath.
Exhale.
Inhale.
Exhale.
Oxygen spread throughout my body.

I finally had the composure to open my eyes.
Huh?

Is this my bathroom?
The familiar washbasin and bath chair.

What is going on?
I opened the bathroom door while still wearing my soaking wet clothes.

It really is my home.
The two-hour journey from the office.

I made it home in an instant.
I don't really understand it.
But maybe it's a good thing.
And.

I'm glad I came out in the bathroom.
If it had been the toilet...

I might have accidentally pressed the flush handle and ended up right back where I started.
I savored my luck.

***

Next time it rains.

I'll try jumping into a puddle again.
Even though I thought that.

It hasn't rained at all.
The weather reporter says cheerfully,

"We expect the drought to continue this summer.
Water shortages are a concern, aren't they?"
***

In the morning, I head to the office.

While being swayed on the two-hour commuter train.
I wonder if an amateur can perform a rain dance.

Maybe I need to make an offering to the Dragon God first.
In the crowded train, I can't even take out my smartphone.

Rain dance, Dragon God, offering

Rain dance, Dragon God, offering
Rain dance, Dragon God, offering
I whisper to myself in my heart so I don't forget.
Clank.

The train stopped at the terminal station.

The passengers in the car turned toward the exit doors.
In that instant.
The man in front of me.

Raised his arm.
From his sleeve.
An arm with long claws and shining silver scales.
But.

In an instant, he was pushed by the passengers in the car.
Lost in the crowd.
The scaled arm was no longer visible.

<Fin.>

I participated.
#ShirokumaLiteraryClub
#Puddle

This is also a puddle...

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