First Rain

I stayed awake as the clouds grew higher and higher, having not yet fallen asleep since sunset, and the temperature began to drop. The girls started scrambling and the men slept until the last minute possible. The winds hit a peak and a dusty rain came through the mosquito net as our grand frere woke us up to get inside before the heavy rain came. We scrambled to get all our things inside and talked like children in the basement during a tornado. The chariot spider from earlier that day was still in our two room adobe house. Lying down listening, I heard teh iron doors being berated by the wind, dust, and rain, and my two American roomated Mark and Alan tried desperately to locate the spider - who was as big as a lens cap. The loud sound of the shoe smacking the wall was the symbolic finale of the night. An hour or so later the winds died dwon and the room swealtered. The iron windows were opened and every precious breeze provoked a deep breath by me, savoring the cool feeling on my skin. Very hot. An incredible storm of chirping crickets and frogs filled the night air with sounds to sleep by. The first rain of our journey was one I will never forget.