Hot Air
The little boy emerged from the back door of the quaint little house. While this activity happened a number of times a day, today it was different. For one thing, instead of the raggy old shirt and backward baseball cap the boy usually wore in order to swing or play on the monkey bars, he instead donned a baggy, yellow raincoat complete with hood drawn tight around his tiny little head.
This outfit, while it might be considered amusing or “cute” in another circumstance, would instead evoke in those watching (if there were anyone watching that is) a sense of sadness, confusion, and charm. For, with one look toward the heavens, it was quite clear that rain was not in the forecast for today. With the sun shining brightly on the green grass, indeed, most young lovers walking without a care or worry in the world would not even consider the remote possibility of rain.
But still, the boy was prepared for the worst as he made his way through the small yard. But today he bypassed the lonesome jungle gym and swing set altogether, instead retreating into a small crevice, a corner of the outside of the slightly dilapidated brick home. It was the same shape and size as a closet, with no door, but covered in every inch with brick. Inside there were bags of sand and pool cleaning equipment (used, of course, to maintain the small, above ground pool that was now sitting half empty and in disrepair). But the one item that took up a large majority of the “closet” was a large, square, metallic air conditioning unit. It sat still, and at this time of year was almost always whirring about, its fan blowing warm air upward through the grate on top, cooling the house for the little boy and his family.
It was this air conditioning unit that interested the boy.
He walked over slowly and methodically, taking his time and keeping a steady pace, until he reached the closet. He hesitated for a moment, thinking, his head cocked oh so slightly to one side as if contemplating a beautiful girl sunbathing (though he was far too young to be interested in beautiful girls). Then, in one swift, steady, and determined motion, he flung himself on top of the air conditioning unit. A small grunt escaped his mouth as he climbed on top and contorted his body until he sat Indian style, facing the green yard, his face rimmed in sunlight. The effect was immediate. The rain coat immediately caught the wind from the fan and bellowed out, trapping the warm air against the young boy’s body. He held his arms out to catch this all and allow it all to float around him. He listened to the soft whirr of the metal box as it expelled its warmth against his body. The boy’s eyes closed as he enjoyed the sunlight on his face. And, for the briefest of moments, one could have detected the slightest of smiles on his face.
It’s unknown to this author how long the boy sat on that unit. Minutes or hours, the time flies by whenever one is supremely entranced with the mysteries and possibilities with the universe. Or when one feels weightless, which the boy certainly did. All this author knows is that, when his time had ended, the boy made no hesitation of leaving his island paradise, quickly hopping down from the metal box and hurrying inside at a much quicker pace than when he had emerged.
And, although there was no observer present to hear the slamming of the screen door as the boy disappeared, not one in a thousand observers could have fully explained what they had just seen. All the same, not one in two thousand eyes would be dry after witnessing such an event.
This outfit, while it might be considered amusing or “cute” in another circumstance, would instead evoke in those watching (if there were anyone watching that is) a sense of sadness, confusion, and charm. For, with one look toward the heavens, it was quite clear that rain was not in the forecast for today. With the sun shining brightly on the green grass, indeed, most young lovers walking without a care or worry in the world would not even consider the remote possibility of rain.
But still, the boy was prepared for the worst as he made his way through the small yard. But today he bypassed the lonesome jungle gym and swing set altogether, instead retreating into a small crevice, a corner of the outside of the slightly dilapidated brick home. It was the same shape and size as a closet, with no door, but covered in every inch with brick. Inside there were bags of sand and pool cleaning equipment (used, of course, to maintain the small, above ground pool that was now sitting half empty and in disrepair). But the one item that took up a large majority of the “closet” was a large, square, metallic air conditioning unit. It sat still, and at this time of year was almost always whirring about, its fan blowing warm air upward through the grate on top, cooling the house for the little boy and his family.
It was this air conditioning unit that interested the boy.
He walked over slowly and methodically, taking his time and keeping a steady pace, until he reached the closet. He hesitated for a moment, thinking, his head cocked oh so slightly to one side as if contemplating a beautiful girl sunbathing (though he was far too young to be interested in beautiful girls). Then, in one swift, steady, and determined motion, he flung himself on top of the air conditioning unit. A small grunt escaped his mouth as he climbed on top and contorted his body until he sat Indian style, facing the green yard, his face rimmed in sunlight. The effect was immediate. The rain coat immediately caught the wind from the fan and bellowed out, trapping the warm air against the young boy’s body. He held his arms out to catch this all and allow it all to float around him. He listened to the soft whirr of the metal box as it expelled its warmth against his body. The boy’s eyes closed as he enjoyed the sunlight on his face. And, for the briefest of moments, one could have detected the slightest of smiles on his face.
It’s unknown to this author how long the boy sat on that unit. Minutes or hours, the time flies by whenever one is supremely entranced with the mysteries and possibilities with the universe. Or when one feels weightless, which the boy certainly did. All this author knows is that, when his time had ended, the boy made no hesitation of leaving his island paradise, quickly hopping down from the metal box and hurrying inside at a much quicker pace than when he had emerged.
And, although there was no observer present to hear the slamming of the screen door as the boy disappeared, not one in a thousand observers could have fully explained what they had just seen. All the same, not one in two thousand eyes would be dry after witnessing such an event.