In those days, my mother and I
showed collies on the weekends.
Our lives revolved around
which dog was in full coat.
I don’t remember who
we showed that muggy day
only that we lost and then
raced a thunderstorm home.

We unloaded the car
amid moist, humid rain
tired from driving
dispirited from the wrong color ribbon
given by a fickle judge.

We drank cool tea
at the kitchen table
watching the rain come down
feeling defeated, depressed.

“Get your bathing suit on,”
my mother cried jumping up.
“What? Why?”
“We’re going to take a rain bath!”
she exclaimed,
her enthusiasm contagious.

I changed into my bathing suit.
Then barefoot we pranced across
the glistening lawn
leaping around
our skin velvet soft
our hair dripping wet.

We laughed and laughed
dancing in the rain
as our spirits soared.

2/9/14