Rain

– You’re making it rain.
Blink
— Sorry?
– With the… it’s raining.
I stare
— Watering the plants?
– It’s raining.
Blink
– The plants think it’s raining.
— Of-course.
And the grin
– Are you supposed to do that?
— This is coming from the tank of rain-water.
– Where?
— Around there.
He disappears
Crunch crunch crunch on the gravel
I hear a rap against the tank
Dull thud against the plastic
– There’s a lot of water in there.
I hear from around the garden
But it wasn’t the watering that created it
The taste came much earlier
Perhaps because of the long dry
But then I think that’s too tactile
And I wonder at my visitor today
Perhaps he brings me gifts I’ll not understand for some time yet
– That always happens.
Back standing behind me
It’s how it is I guess
Fairly quickly I learn to accept things
– It was good though, when you fought against them.
Maybe it was
A different kind of turbulence
And this week has been peace
A peace so whole I’ve disliked the company of others
– So why then?
— Necessity.
Pause
— And also discipline.
I know he won’t understand that but it’s important that he hear it
Blink
He looks around
Slowly inspecting the water on the leaves
Wanders off
I hear him around the house
And then nothing
Etienne sits on one of the chairs in the sun-room
Staring at me
One hand up to her face
Fingers curled in the thick of her hair