Umbrella Blown With The Wind

Spring. Hmmm! All that rain but how many umbrellas have I lost in my half a life? I love the rain on the roof, river, in between branches and on the umbrella.

I love spring rain but, and this is a big but, provided there’s no wind. It’s not funny seeing folks going round and round in circles trying to tame umbrellas that have been uploaded by the wind.

An umbrella once made a fool of me and flew off my hand. I had two options, try and chase it or ignore it. I took the latter and let it hop on the pavement like a kangaroo. I did not know it. We’ve never met.

I love rain. That is why I used to make umbrellas a fashion accessory, buy fancy ones with wooden handles and the cloth, the colour of my dresses. The problem was that I never had them for long because I forgot them somewhere, but where?

The subway? Taxis? Buses? Restaurants? Shops? Post Office? I don’t remember finding an umbrella I lost. I would mourn it for a week or two then go back to that fancy store and buy another one with a wooden handle.

All good things come to an end. There are antibiotics for everything but not for my affliction, which is losing umbrellas. That’s why I buy umbrellas that stay put in the handbag now. The cheaper the better because I know their tricks. They upload themselves into the air soon after the weather lady says it will be windy today.

By: Nonqaba waka Msimang.