When Nature Takes Turns

Outside my window on a Friday afternoon the clouds are clashing together into a giant ball of anger. Any signs of a blue sky is fading away. Far away from my neighborhood. The kids outside are cleaning and gathering all their belongings at the sight of the incoming storm. It hasn't touch down yet, but anyone with nerve damage can probably predict that we're about to have a pretty nasty storm. The apartments are made of brick and very close together. Each neighbor has porch to share their own share of grass on the side of each house. Everyone has a different but small garden and collection of plants. We just a have a skeleton from last Halloween sitting on our stairs in front of the apartment. Today it still looks as dead as ever.

The thunder sounds distant and the rain is beginning to fall. At first slowly and you can hear people talking about how they need to hurry up and get inside after a long day of sun and fun. The people are out and you wouldn't think any of us are Quarantine. It feels like a normal day again. A normal day before Covid-19.

Across the street straightening out her plants is a woman in a red sweater. A child is on her bike watching her organize her plants and pots. She seems distraught knowing the rain and wind is about to sprawl around a bit. I would offer to help her set up a tarp but social distancing still plays a role. I just watch from the couch with my husky-Nanuke sniffing everything in his sight. He stairs out the window too. Probably to see the squirrels all run for shelter.

The rain comes in heavier and the trees rattles. It almost sounds like the leaves are having loud conversations and they want us to listen. It made me think if trees could tell stories, they'd have the coolest things to tell us. To me, the sound is easing and relaxing however, that is until the thunder starts taking charge. Now it's all we hear for a bit. It's distant but grows near. It's been a while sense we heard thunder in this part of New Jersey. You can even smell the storm at this point. I'm sure I wasn't the only wondering if I had to be worried about tornadoes. The sky is getting pretty dark and the clouds are looking thick.

The lady in the red sweater gives up on organizing and they're rushing inside from the cold misty rain. It's pouring now and everyone is rushing inside. Her plants stay in place but the longer flimsy ones sway in their pots. The light above their house creates a nice eerie look to it as the sun disappear slowly.

There's a big tree by our neighbors that always looks like it'll fall on us anytime it storms. It's nice to look at sometimes especially on a day like this. All the flowers that grow on it are tucked away. All the loose sticks are falling and leaves are covering the sidewalks. If you listen real close, the drops of rain that are hitting cars sound like hail. It's pretty loud.

The complex and houses look the same. Everyone had seemed to buy an air conditioner for the summer. You can hear them almost, together running at the same time. The worms poke out of the soil, all of them coming for fresh air later to dry up from the sun if they don't make it home in time.

The road signs sway back and fourth like they're ready to give out. Outside is becoming a almost batman-like scene. It's dark and going outside is the last thing anyone wants to do right. Staying in the house and just watching the world do its thing is the mood.