DOWN COMES THE RAIN

It had been pouring rain overnight for several hours. My husband Steven was away on a trip so I was in charge of checking the basement to see if any water came in.

When I woke up my son Alex was already in the kitchen making coffee. “How’s the basement doing?” he asked.

“I don’t know. I haven’t checked it yet.” I reached in the cabinet to get a cup for my tea.

“Really?” Alex looked surprised as he looked out the window. “When it’s raining this hard Dad usually gets up a few times during the night to make sure everything stays dry down there.”

I put my cup on the counter top. “Oh, man. I forgot he did that.” I went to check the basement. Looking through Steven’s office, the laundry room, and pantry I could see no water had come in.

When I came up from the basement Alex was leaned against the counter top sipping from his coffee cup.

“How’s it look down there?” He asked as he put the cup down and took a slice of bread and popped it in the toaster.

“So far so good.” I filled the kettle with water and put it on the stove to heat. “Man, it’s really coming down.” I said as I looked out the window over the sink. “I wonder when it’s going to stop?”

Alex grabbed his phone and checked the weather app. “I looks like it’s got about another hour and then it’s going to tamper off.”

“That’s good.” I went to fix my tea. “Looks like we’re going to make it through another storm with the basement staying dry.”

“Don’t say that!” Alex said as he buttered the toast that had just popped out of the toaster. “You’ll jinx us!”

I had to laugh. “We’ll be fine.”

Just then we heard a loud and constant chirp coming from our back porch.

We both looked out the kitchen window and saw a chipmunk sitting on the arm of our Adirondack chair safely tucked under our porch roof but chirping frantically at the rainy weather.

“He doesn’t look too happy.” I said as looked around the yard. “I wonder what’s got him so upset?”

Alex pointed to the downspout at the side of our house. “I’m pretty sure his house just got flooded.”

I looked over to where he had one of his tunnels and saw it was filled with water. “Oh, the poor little thing.” I looked over at Alex. “What should we do?”

Alex laughed. “What do you mean, ‘what should we do?’”

I pointed to the chipmunk still chirping at the storm. “He’s been flooded out of his house!”

Alex looked confused. “It’s a chipmunk. I’m pretty sure he’s been through this before.”

“But look how upset he is.” I went over to the cabinet where I kept some shelled peanuts for the wildlife and pulled out the bag. “Maybe I should toss some of these out to him?” I was holding up the bag. “Maybe a little treat might make him feel better?” I was headed to the back door.

“Wait! Don’t go out!” Alex said.

I stopped and looked over at him. “Why?”

“Because you’re going to scare him. He’s going to want to run away and he has no place to go.” Alex pointed over to his flooded tunnel.

“Oh, good point.” I looked out the window and held up the bag. “As soon as the rain stops I promise to toss some out for you!”

The chipmunk was still incessantly chirping at the storm.

Alex laughed as he patted me on the shoulder. “I’m sure he’s going to appreciate that when the storm’s finished.”

I shook the bag by the window. “Treats are coming little man!”