Rain at the Redbird Motel

It does not rain often out here.

Most days, the sky stays clear and the desert stretches out beneath the sun without much changing.

Today was different.

The clouds came in over the desert, and before long, rain began tapping against the office window.

The pavement darkened. Water gathered along the edges of the parking lot, and for a little while, the familiar smell of hot dust gave way to something cooler.

A few guests stood outside under the walkway and watched.

Nobody seemed to be in much of a hurry.

Every now and then, thunder rolled somewhere beyond the road.

The rain came and went throughout the day.

Sometimes lightly.

Sometimes hard enough to make the motel sign disappear behind the water on the window.

Out here, weather like this never feels ordinary.

Tomorrow, the desert may be dry again.

The puddles will disappear. The pavement will turn pale beneath the sun, and the road will look much the same as it did before.

But today, the desert got some rain.

And for a little while, we stopped to watch.

Redbird Motel