Its Raining!

I just love the weather tonight.

Its been quite some time since we get rainy nights. The type of rain that they call 'raining cats and dogs.' (Wonder how cats and dogs got the credit here!) Not the type of rain that comes together with dark cloudy weather, strong stormy winds, lightning and thunder...no no no... that type...I fear.

This 'cats and dogs' rain is merely 'heavy rainfalls' and thats all. No lightning. No thunder. No storms. Just plain crystal clear droplets of water falling from the sky.

Am sitting on my bed, with the notebook on the pillow, typing this post...in a happy and cool mood. My company tonite is Barry Manilow. His serenade is so soothing, sooooo touching...O' so goooood! This is what I called 'real chill out'.

Barry Manilow has been accompanying me for so many years. I studied through university days... with him. When I fell in and out of love... he was there. He was with me all the time, up till now. His songs touched the heart of mine so very much.

Among Barry's songs that captured my heart and soul are Sometimes When We Touch, Can't Smile Without You, I Write The Song, I Made It Through The Rain... and many many more. In fact, all his songs are captivating and mesmerising. The lyrics are great too.

When I was small, rainy nights like this, my siblings and I will gather in the living room, all in pyjamas and covering ourselves with own blankets. My dad will be sitting on the sofa. The television will normally be switched off. My dad is an ardent believer that the television could easily be faulty if it is switched on during heavy rain, especially when there's lightning. Well those days, we depended a lot on the aerial, the metal rods, normally placed atop of house roofs. Astro? Nope. Not in our vocabulary then.

This is the time when my father will start his storytelling. Mostly true stories of his childhood days and real life experiences. Sometimes, he told us some ghost stories, also from his own encounters. It was indeed fun. Scarry but fun. We laughed. We screamed. We formed body cluster in the centre of the living room.

Being someone involved in teaching profession (my late father was a school Headmaster), he really knew how to attract our attention and instill interest and enthusiasm. He is a real master in story telling. My mum called him 'tok selampit'. I guess that suits him...

Talking about my mum... Well... on nights like this, she really knows how to play her role as a mother. When she saw all of us wide-eyed looking and listening to my father's ramblings, she will go to the kitchen and cooked something to serve us. From the living room, we could smell the 'jemput-jemput' or sometimes 'keropok' that she was frying.

Not long after, she will be bringing a big tray which consists of a jug of tea, some mugs and the freshly fried 'jemput-jemput' to the living room. All of us will throw the blankets away and started reaching for the food. My dad will normally ended his story abruptly. To be continued...he said, as usual, on another fine rainy day.

Rainy days like tonight, is too nostalgic for me... Many more that I can reminince. Maybe in my other postings later on. You see... both my parents really complement each other, especially in our upbringing. My dad will feed us with food for soul and my mum will feed us with food for the body. Sigh. How I wish we could turn back the clock. I really missed my dad. May he rest in peace. AlFatihah.

Now, at this age...during rainy days like this, I prefer to be alone. At the solitude of my room. I know if I am not writing this posting, I will end up reading a novel. Or I might just stand by the window sill, watching the rainfalls. I will be wide awake. I will never feel sleepy on rainy days. I become so alive on rainy days. My siblings know about this behaviour of mine. Even my roommates throughout my school and university days knew that I am like this. I really am so into rainy days. Not like most of my friends. They will jump onto bed and force themselves to go to sleep. No...No...Not me. I really went bonkers on rainy days.

I just love rainy days. I also love the smell of the environment when the rain stops. Everything seems so clean. So fresh.

This posting has reached the end. But, the rain has not stopped yet. This gives me time to see the rain. Especially those near the streetlights. Further...its dark. O' rain... rain... Got to stand by the window now...

"...And sometimes when we touch,
The honesty too much
And I have to close my eyes and hide
I want to hold you 'til I die
'til we both break down and cry
I wanna hold you
'til The fear in me subsides..."

Hmmm... Barry Manilow's 'Sometimes When We Touch' is in the air ... and I am so touched!

Kalambicara wanted to observe the rain before it stops...till then..gtg