Aussiehalley - Halley Down Under

You have killed 1350 lbs of umbrella, but you can only carry 200 back to the wagon.

Because it rains here so often (not like in a Seattle way, but in an alternate universe sort of way), sometimes we decide to go out into the weather, because it may/may not get better/worse as we go about our business. Last week sometime, Christine and I decide to snub our noses at the grey clouds a'brewin' and go to the gym. By the time we walked down from our apartment onto the sidewalk, small drops were coming down.

By the time we went a quarter of a block, to the corner of our street, a torrential downpour was starting. We made it to the large awning of the (unused) building there. And waited. We discussed the merits of fording the river (think Oregon Trail) versus turning back to the ol' homestead. Who wants to work out sopping wet? But we're already dressed. But we don't really feel like working out anymore. But we'd get wet going home, too, so we might as well go. So were were just kinda hanging out there.

There were people across the street leaning up against a building for shelter, only that building didn't really have much in the way of protection. This fact was pretty funny for us. Eventually, a runs around the corner and into our shelter. He's in business attire and wearing a badge for the Kangaroos (a footy team). He asks us if we follow the footy at all. Christine says no, but I say, I little, because I don't want to be rude. So then he goes into this whole shpiel about how he's the first Asian footy player in the AFL, and he's so excited. And we're ust kinda nodding along like, mm-hmm. Sure buddy. I mean, we don't know for sure, but this is a little guy. And the footy players are big. BIG. So after we convince him we have no money for the raffle ticket he's selling since we're on our way to the gym, he chats a little more, avoiding the rain, then runs out into it, the hardcore AFL player that he is.

The rain is coming in sheets and we decide that after it lets up again, we'll make for home. The only problem with this plan is that the rain is coming down so hard that you realize that it let up a little only after it gets harder again. So again, we're just kinda hangin out. Shootin the shit. Watching the world go by. Under the awning of the abandoned building on the corner. Later, a friendly older couple comes by. We had a nice visit, until they decide they can't stand there all day. Heh-ho, but that's where they were wrong. We certainly could stand there all day, thankyouverymuch. We almost had to share the space with this poor, drenched girl who ran over to our shelter, but Christine took care of that real fast and kicked her out. "You know, you don't get as wet if you run." She took it as, "beat it, lady." Christine hates to share.*

When we got back to the apartment, Sarah (who had wisely decided not to go with us) asked us how was the gym. Because clearly, after being gone that long, where else would we have been? Outside, standing on the corner. Like rainy-day, shlubby-clothed hookers.

We never made it to the gym.



*Fine, fine. Christine does not hate sharing. She's a good sharer. And probably didn't mean to kick that girl out. Probably.

posted by Halley @ 1:36 AM