Encounter with an Umbrella

Written February 13, 2010

I just got back from a wander through Granada in the rain in search of a dictionary, and I have a cute little story to share. When I left home this morning, it was a little chilly but dry. I had a great time poking around in bookshops, and eventually found the dictionary I was looking for, so I bought it and stepped outside to head home—and into the middle of a serious downpour. I wouldn’t have minded so much except for the fact that I had a brand new dictionary to keep dry, but after I figured out how to wrap it in a plastic bag so it wouldn’t get wet, I was able to enjoy the rain for the most part. However, at one point I got to a corner of a relatively busy street where I had to stand and wait for the walk signal to turn green (I wasn’t about to run out into fast-moving traffic, sorry), and that’s when it stopped being too much fun. Walking in the rain is great. Standing in the rain on the corner of a busy street is not so great.

I saw a movement out of the corner of my eye, and noticed the guy a few feet away from me (also waiting for the walk sign) trying to make eye contact. He must have been about mid-twenties, normal-looking, tall, with a big black umbrella. When I looked at him he smiled and stepped next to me so that I was also under his umbrella. I was more surprised than anything, so I just smiled, said “Gracias,” and then kind of went back to looking at the opposite side of the street, clutching my dictionary to my chest. We stood there for probably a good two or three whole minutes before the sign turned green, and then he walked across the street with me before saying “Hasta luego” and heading off on his own.

I just wanted to say thank you, nice young man, for being both respectful and courteous and giving a bedraggled gal a few minutes respite from the rain. I’ve had young men stop me in the streets here before, but only ever to hit on me, and no one has ever offered to let me stand under their umbrella while waiting on rainy street corners before, and let me tell you, I’ve stood umbrella-less on more than a few rainy street corners in my life.

I guess the world isn’t such an awful place after all, is it?

Pura Vida,

Kelsey