The rain became a light drizzle. 

“Another story just started. You must think I’m weird.” 

“Sure, I like it.” 

“I’m weirder than that. I don’t feel anything, just everything. Or I don’t feel everything, just anything. Does that make sense?” 

“Yes, kind of. I understand what you mean.” 

The rain stopped. Only drips were heard, falling off gutters and tree limbs. 

“It’s so humid. That’s not normal for around here. And it’s changing. It seems there’s nothing we can do about it—it’s like those stories. I can’t find an end to them. I want them to end, but I don’t.” 

“You can try. That’s what you’ve always done. Don’t worry, it’ll work out.” 

“They keep my interest, but somehow, they’re waiting for something. Or is it me that’s waiting? Look how fast the steam is rising from the streets. You know, I think we’re like steam. First, we hit the streets hard like rain, then we move on, lighter.” 

The sun poked out from behind a cloud. 

“Sometimes I want to touch you, like no one has ever touched you before, but I only have these hands and they’re like everyone else’s.” 

“I like the way you touch me.” 

“Are my hands warm? I know I can be cold sometimes. There are different ways to touch.” 

A couple of heavy raindrops fell unevenly from the sky. As if another downpour was about to start. 

“Is all rain alike? I swear each raindrop touches the ground differently. I notice stuff like that. It’s soothing to me to listen to each storm, how different they are from one another. Do you think it’s true, that each raindrop creates a new life?” 

“I don’t know. I guess it could be like that.” 

The clouds began to move further apart from one another, and spots of blue sky appeared. 

“There’s a sound to the dry days. It’s like voices rubbing against one another. I can make one or two of them out, for a while. I write those ones down. Then, I come back to read them. It’s gibberish, all just a bunch of gibberish. I’m scared the rain will stop forever.” 

A pause, slightly comfortable, slightly uncomfortable. 

“Can I touch you now? I need to know.” 

“Will it help?”