Day 16 of my 30-day writing challenge
This was the scene in New York City today, at 8 pm, during a light summer storm. My husband’s cell phone snapshot doesn’t do it justice – the sky was bluer and the rainbows brighter.
My husband’s parents are visiting from out of town, and we’re enjoying a few days of staycation with them. This afternoon we saw Despicable Me 3 with the kids, then took them to the grandparents’ hotel pool. My son is a virtual fish; my younger daughter is allergic to being even close to horizontal in the water. I’m trying to think of a metaphor that would do justice to the flailing and the drama – the only picture that comes to mind is those hens from the movie Chicken Run.
(Because I am a pessimist of the highest order, I spent swim time trying not to think of recent CDC warnings about the high bacteria content of public pools. It did not help my paranoia that the hotel had posted more than one sign forbidding blowing your nose in the water.)
We finished the day with a trip to Jackson Hole Diner, home of one of the best burgers in the city and a jukebox filled with 50’s music, both of which made Grandpa very happy. My son was more excited to see an autographed photo of Ed Sheeran, one of the many celebrities who have eaten themselves into a red meat coma there.
I just realized! I think my son might be trying to grow Ed Sheeran (or some other boy band mate) hair. I’m not saying it’s a conscious choice, but it would explain his refusal to let me cut it, even after after he injured himself with his hair yesterday. I’m not kidding – he was in the shower, jerked his head around for some reason, and whipped a long, wet hank of hair directly into his eye.
But I digress.
The rain was starting as we arrived at Jackson Hole, and the double rainbow appeared a scant half hour later. We took turns running out to see, to stand in the sun and breathe the freshly-washed air.
It was one of those perfect moments where NYC feels a little like Paradise.