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Rain’s Turn for Show and Tell

David A. Forrester

    Rain gathered up her courage and walked to the front of the class. Her long blue hair cascaded beyond the soft green bow tied at her waist. Her dress had pastel prints that softened into nondescript shapes. Like the gentle shadows of rain cast along the wall as the dim light found its way through curtains. As if to complete her innocence she was bare foot.
    Today for show and tell Rain had brought a flower she found on the side of the road.
    She was a shy quiet girl. Holding out the flower she murmured so gently that it was unlikely anyone could understand what she said.
    “It’s a flower”
    Snow, her best friend, was the first to react.
    “How strictly delightful,” she said.
    There were three boys who sat directly behind Snow. They always sat behind her with the intent to mess with whatever she intended to do. Hail, Sleet and Ice snickered. Ice who was the coldest of the three, whispered just loud enough so that Snow could hear.
    “How sickly frightful”
    Now there were two larger boys further back in the class and they saw the snickering going on. They also saw the frown that formed on Snow’s face. Thunder and Lightening didn’t know Snow very well but they knew she was Rain’s friend. And because Thunder and Lightening liked Rain they wanted to retaliate. Besides, they were always looking for an excuse to show off.
    Lightening leaned forward and shocked the three while Thunder boomed with laughter making Hail and Sleet slide out of their chairs and Ice melted himself.
    “That’s Enough!” shouted Mother Nature and gave Thunder and Lightening detention for the third time this week.
    A small blonde haired girl in a yellow dress glanced back at the trouble makers and when she saw them make eye contact with her she sneered, knowing full well the teacher couldn’t see her do it. The others were wary of her because she was the teacher’s pet.
    Sunshine sat in the middle of the front row and batted her eyes at Mother Nature saying:
    “Let me hold the flower,”
    “NO!” said Snow and stood up quick to get in Sunshine’s way.
    Snow’s white hair hung in drifts along her sides almost as long as Rain’s, but Snow’s hair billowed out more. Her white dress was trimmer and did not need to be tied with a bow. Snow was more confident and straightforward than Rain, but even she was a little afraid of Sunshine.
    Luckily for Snow, two boys had become interested in the flower. Cloud and Fog had stood up and were floating toward the front of the class. They came between Snow and Sunshine but at the same time they blocked the way so that no one else could see.
    Wind had been daydreaming that Rain was bringing the flower for him. He adored rain and suddenly became aware that Cloud and Fog were crowding in around her. This irked him somehow and he rose up briskly to say:
    “Let Rain show her flower”
    The two boys moved aside and Snow settled down, but Sunshine persisted. Wind showed her he was not the least bit afraid. Sunshine glanced at the teacher and then sat down.
    Mother Nature was not paying attention. It was late in the school year, spring had arrived. It seemed she was painting her nails.
    Rain saw Wind standing in front of her with his wild hair and silly smile. She was flattered but this was still her affair.
    “I’m not showing the flower. I’ve seen thousands of flowers,” she said, “It’s what’s inside that I don’t get to see.”
    Wind looked down inside the flower and saw a butterfly sleeping. Its wings were slowly folding and unfolding. He softly blew on the butterfly and it lifted out of the flower, floated a moment and landed on Snow’s nose.
    Snow sneezed and Wind laughed.
    Rain broke into the biggest smile she had ever smiled.

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