Hi there everybody. What's up? My name is Rain. And I'm convinced ... . that runners hate me. Days like these, I just want to go out and hang around. This is my time of the year. Do you realize how booooring it could be when my good-for-nothing sister dominates the scene? You know, Summer? She thinks she's sooooooo hot. Well, uh, um, I have to agree. She thinks she's all that. But I've seen people around these parts. They hate her. Curse her very presence in the vernacular. ( sample : !@#$ ang init sa Pilipinas!) Promise! But enough about her. This is my time, and I revel in bringing smiles to the denizens of this metropolis. See those kids jumping up and down the street? They like me! See those little men in weird hats in the fields? They thrown parties when I get here! I even see movie stars dance for me in one of them box-office blockbusters. Boy that was a riot. Sarah Geronimo is so cute. Sigh. It feels so good to be loved.
Would have been perfect. Save for one group I can't seem to get a grip on. Runners. They abhor my very presence. I don't even know what I did wrong. I'll give you guys an example. It's a wonderful Tuesday afternoon, and I'm just going out for a walk. My perfect day is ruined by this dude in shorts waaay tooo short and a watch waaay to big for his own good. Why the forlorn look? He looks so crabby. Whiny even. Ohhh. Must be a runner. Oh. I know this guy. He works in that place where there are a lot of young people. He wears those long flowing things that look like curtains. Wears a cap everytime he runs. Maybe because his hair is horrible. Maybe he just likes to hide his face. Hmph. But yeah. He hates me. He's grumbling to what looks like a big fat cat. Oh, it's a dog. A big fat dog. Geez what do they feed this thing. My bad. No wonder they're called man's best friend. They just keep on listening. Hmm. Anyway, this dude wants to run, but he doesn't like me around. He looks so... down. Check him out... I'm convinced... ..
Looks pretty down eh? And of course the blame goes all back to me. He whines. He whines because his clothes are drenched, because his socks in his fancy gait-analyzed shoes would get wet. He sardonically thanks the gods for his good fortune. Hmph. I hope his watch breaks down. He runs along as I observe. He steps unto a puddle , !@#$ is what you hear. This guy needs to get out more. He is putting his hands behind his back so that his fancy watch won't get wet. Like it won't. Read the manual buddy! IPX7! Submersible! 1 meter! Even I know that! He runs into this really fast dude. I see him all the time as well, seems to be from around here. I mean, he is fast. So they run together, he manages to keep up for like 2k, then really fast dude is gone. Guess what? He blames me for not being able to keep up! Runners.
Oh the horror! The nerve! That really upset me. Upset me to the point that I cried so hard. No one has maltreated me like that. Ever! I cried my heart out because I didn't even do anything. *Sob* Then something unbelievably incredible happened. Mr. evil runner guy, in solitary mode because the fast bald dude made him eat dust, suddenly smiled amidst my sorrow. That took me by surprise. I could almost hear his thoughts as his soaked persona glided through the drenched alleyways of his favorite training jaunt... ... .
Yeah. Why did I even do this. Stupid Rain. I will be sooo sick later. The Garmin's probably messed up. I am completely drenched. My socks feel gross. Dang I really had to catch Javy aka Tri'n Hard on tempo run/fartlek day. He's on a totally different level. And because of the rain, my projected 20k mileage builder turned into a 7k race pace run. I'm exhausted. Out of shape. It's the rain's fault. Should have done the Sarah/John Lloyd rain dance. Since Sunday. It won't go away. Had to cancel all my runs. I'll get sick eh. Daw. At least that's what the old people said. But you know what? This is actually... .. fun! I feel like a kid again. It's so cold. I feel so relaxed. Why am I so scared about getting sick? It's just water anyway. The old folks just like to scare you I guess. But hey, I am genuinely enjoying this .
Everyone is running for cover and they're all looking at me like I'm some crazy lunatic but hey, I don't care. This is strangely... therapeutic... ... I never realized. You see a microcosm of the metropolis - the hustle going yin/yang against the bustle of our mundane lives, all seemingly frozen in time as a virtual snapshot is encapusulated in a single raindrop. Awesome.Everything seems to be moving in slow motion amidst the deluge. I am in conplete control, freedom of movement married to a psyche completely bereft of any negativity at that precise moment. I feel... . alive.
Sigh. Just when I had counted him out. People. I could never figure them out.
My name is Rain. And I'm convinced... ...
That runners don't hate me after all.