The morning was rainy. Not the calming, peaceful rain, nor the exciting, dangerous rain, but the slow, sluggish rain, the kind that stalls traffic, delays games, and ruins days. All throughout the morning everyone expected the storm to break, the clouds to burst, but there was no such luck. No, on this rainy Tuesday morning in mid-September at 51st and Orange, the only lucky ones were the ones who had remembered to bring an umbrella on their way to work. The rest were forced to use newspapers, briefcases, and jackets to haphazardly cover themselves from the slow but steady stream of thick rain droplets, or else run down the street in search for shelter. At the intersection of 51st and Orange, one of the more populated subway stations in the city was a host to many of these unprepared pedestrians, as well as the curses they muttered upon discovering their conundrum. As if waking up early, putting on the uncomfortable suit and tie, taking the subway, and trekking to work every day wasn't bad enough. Nevertheless, they left the subway and headed down their daily routine, towards the mind-numbing desk jobs and plastic smiles of the business world.


It was on this particular rainy Tuesday morning in mid-September at 51st and Orange that Jay looked down at the busy street below him and contemplated jumping, but decided the pedestrians below were having a bad enough day. He was not suicidal, and did not relish in the idea of falling two stories onto the damp bodies of the humans below him, but was simply bored, and wanted some excitement in his life. He'd fallen into a rut lately, much like the people on their daily commute to work below him, and was feeling like his life was a skipping record. Jay was not usually this morose, and knew he was being stupid, that life was routine and he was too old for adventure and excitement, but he couldn't shake the feeling there was more to life than sitting above a subway station on a rainy Tuesday morning in mid-September. Wasn't there? He did enjoy the people watching though. That was his original reason for settling down in a city in the first place. The city was normally a very intriguing place, full of different people and experiences, but lately, with the never-ending rain, all the people below all seemed the same. Everyone seemed to have the same black umbrella, and from above, the only thing that stuck out was the occasional person running for cover. Jay sighed, and looked up at the clouds, noticing a small blue gap in the distance. He gazed at it longingly for a moment, them cast his eyes back down at the street below.


The morning drew on in its usual manner, and slowly less people exited the subway, though a few stragglers lingered on. As Jay watched them, considering his next move, perhaps an early lunch to spice things up a bit, his friend Robin swooped in next to him. She greeted him with a cheery “Hello!” and he sighed and said “Hey” back, without looking up. She looked at him for a moment, then asked, “Why so blue, Jay?”


He thought for a moment, then, still not looking up, he said “It's always a little depressing to me, watching these people go by with no purpose, not thoughts, no emotion, just moving from one side of the street to the next without thinking. Really makes me wonder what I'm doing with my own life; sitting here judging others is hardly living.”


“Yeah, I wonder about that sometimes myself. But you have to admit, sometimes it's easier to just go about life without thinking.”


“Easier, sure, but I don't know if it's necessarily better,” replied Jay.


Robin sighed dreamily. “Why don't we just fly away? We could you know.”


“Well anybody could, really, but for some reason no one ever does. Why do you suppose that is?”


“A thousand reasons, I'm sure.”


“A thousand excuses, more like.”


Robin had no reply for that. They both looked back down at the street below them and a strange sight caught their eyes. Amid the crowds of black and gray suits, a single, yellow glimmer had poked out, like a solitary star shining through thick clouds. The color was coming from a little girl, jumping into a puddle in her little yellow rain boots and matching poncho. Her laughter could be heard over the distant thunder and she seemed to be perfectly content with simply dancing in the rain all morning. A teenage girl, a sister or babysitter perhaps, dressed in a light gray outfit, stood over the little girl and smiled, watching her play. Passerby payed them both no attention.


“I don't know. Maybe I'm just crazy,” said Jay.


Robin looked over at her dear friend, a little worried. “Maybe you need a change of scenery. You know, every year about this time I head south. I don't like the cold much, and there are a lot nicer places out there than this...” she paused and looked out at the rainy, gray city, “place.”


Jay sighed and replied, “Yeah I heard some of my family head down south for the winter, but I don't know, it's a long way, and what will I do there? Nothing different than what I'm doing here. Just feels a little pointless.”


“More pointless than this? Seriously Jay, let's do it! I know you're not used to adventure and excitement, it could be exactly what you need! And I'll be with you the whole time so you don't have to worry about anything.”


Jay looked over at her incredulously, and exclaimed, “I wouldn't have to worry about anything? What about my friends? My life here? I mean, I admit to being in a slump lately but I don't think throwing caution to the wind is the answer.”


“Oh come on Jay! Weren't you just saying a minute ago we make up these excuses why we can't be happy? Why we can't do all the things we want to do? The only thing stopping you is... you.” Robin paused again and looked down at the little girl playing in the puddles, then continued, “I can only help you break out of your shell of fear and trepidation if you allow me to. Please,” she said quietly, looking back at him, “Come with me. We can just go, right now, leave this desolate place behind and find a better one, a better life. We can be together.” Robin reached over and leaned her head against Jay's. “Please. Come with me. Be with me.”


Jay's heartbeat pounded. Could he really go through with this? Just go, fly away and start a new life? He wasn't sure of himself, of Robin, or of anything really.

*****


Below them, the little girl had made a particularly large splash, giggling at the mud flying everywhere. As she jerked her head back to avoid the onslaught, she noticed two colorful birds above her on the telephone wire above the subway station.


“Look at the pretty birds!” The little girl in the yellow boots grabbed the older girl's leg and pointed up at the two birds upon the wire. “Isn't their song so nice?”


The older girl didn't look up at them. “Yes, Kathleen, but we've got to go now. Your mom's waiting.”


As the two girls set out down the street, the birds stopped singing, and flew from their perch, soaring away into a blue gap in the clouds.