Keith

Keith

He walked out into the rain, there was thick grey cloud cover. As he walked towards his destination he became aware that life did after all have some things in it that he could control. Keith took his hood off and opened the front of his coat. The rain could be felt now on his head, dark spots quickly spread over the exposed parts of his green shirt. Drops began to trickle down his neck, he didn’t care, it was a choice he had made, there was no law against it. People looked at him oddly, all wrapped up in their waterproofs. He felt happy for the first time in ages, here was real power and it was falling all over his body.

When he reached the corner shop he found a vast array of useful items, all of them affordable. Looking down at the floor Keith noticed a small puddle forming from the precious water dripping off him, this puddle was being stared at by the shopkeeper in a down-the-nose kind of way. Keith chose a newspaper and paid for it with moist small change.

Outside the shop was a small bench, Keith sat on it to read his paper. He managed to read the first page without too much difficulty but turning it over was difficult as it had become sodden with rain. He managed to carefully separate the next page but the corner tore off, he persisted and got through about three pages before the whole thing became uncontrollable, heavy and soggy.

The beach looked so tempting, so empty, lonely, sad and wet. Keith found a spot by a little rock pool and lay down. By now he was completely soaked through, the smell of the sea forced itself up his nostrils and evoked memories from childhood.

A sea worn house brick nestled up to an old coke can, both trying desperately to recycle themselves. A soothing sleep washed over him, waves crashed over his body and sucked it down into thick deep water. Weightless and wet he floated, on and on protected by his uniqueness. Yellowness, smoothness and comfort projected him onwards.

A strange stinging heat awoke him, steam was rising from his damp clothes, the sun was digging out secrets. People were gathering on the beach, children laughing and screaming. This was not Keith’s world, he dragged himself up and moved on.