A Sunshower in Central Park

a chance encounter

  I finally did it! I moved away from my home town, to New York City. I said goodbye to my friends and family, but they knew I will be okay. I was lucky to find a reasonable apartment in New York; it is a kinda small, but I don't have to much stuff to create clutter. I have my job at the Apple store, and I couldn't be happier. I have been to and seen many things: I went to fire island, the Statue of Liberty, The Matisse, China Town, and last night I ate at the famous Ray's Pizza. I think it was Rays Pizza, or was it called Rays, maybe Famous Ray's Pizza, or was it Famous Original Ray's Pizza? The point is I had great pizza last night. I still haven't met that special someone, but I have a feeling they are here, in this city.
 

I used to go the gym at least 3 times a week in my home town, but gym membership here are outrageous. Until I find a reasonably priced gym; I jog in Central Park. It is so beautiful, and I find if it wasn't for the towering skyscrapers, I would forget I was in New York. One day, I was jogging, and I accidentally bumped in to this older gentleman. I apologized, but he didn't say a word. I felt raindrops on my jogging gear. Just my luck it was starting to rain, and I don't recall it calling for rain today. We both took cover underneath a big tree, and when I looked up, I saw not a single cloud in the sky. I noticed in the corner of my eye; the man looking at a very old pocket watch.

I finally decided to break the silence, and said," It feels like forever since I have seen a Sunshower. What about you, sir?" He looked hesitant at first to speak, but finally he spoke.

 
"Tell me, boy, what other names do you call a Sunshower?"

"Back home, a lot of people would say 'the devil beating his wife', but I never liked that phrase. Something this mystifying deserves a better name."

"My sentiment exactly, boy. Do you know what a 'Kitsune no Yomeiri' is?"

“I have no clue, sounds foreign."

"It is Japanese for a 'the Fox's wedding'; it is believed that during a Sunshower the Kitsune or fox spirits would have a wedding. They use their magic to create a Sunshower to deter mortals from seeing the festivities."

"A Fox's wedding, that sounds so much more beautiful."

After the silence was broken, we began really talking to one another. He told me about all the places he has been in his life; I was envious of him. I finally asked about the pocket watch he was constantly looking at. He said “It works fine on its best day, but I keep it more for sentimentality.” As I was feeling tired, I decided to sit down and listen to his stories.

 
The rain began to slacken, and the older gentleman started to walk away. When I put my hand on the ground to get up, there was something in my hand. It was the pocket watch; he must had dropped it when he was putting it in his pocket. I quickly jumped up, and ran to find him. He was nowhere to be found. I went back to the tree nearly every day for a while, but I never saw him again. I don't think he ever told me his name, or even if he lived in the city. The pocket watch is very old; it might be over a hundred years old. I sometimes ponder my meeting with the stranger in the park.  My imagination soars and I wonder if he could have been a fox spirit in disguise. Maybe, when I bumped into him, he was late for the wedding. A Kitsune no Yomeiri or a Fox's Wedding; that is a much better name for a sunshower.
  The End

Author's Note

What do you call a Sunshower? Let me what you think of my little story, and is their anyway to improve it?
Thank you for reading, and please enjoy.

Reviews

[Lost, n'MT]

I found this to be a well written and a very enjoyable story.

I enjoyed the character of the old man and his demanor, and I enjoyed the entire interaction between the narrator and the old man. The narrator's perspective was also very clear and full of innocence as S. Mi mentioned below. I was also very intrigued about the pocket watch and how the sun shower began without a cloud in sight which had lead to "Kitsune no Yomeiri". Each piece of this story subtly adds more to the intrigue of the encounter in this story.

I also enjoyed learning about a "Kitsune no Yomeiri" which I researched a bit more, but my favorite part was the old man and his demeanor and interacting. I enjoyed both characters and the story, and it definitely lead this reader wanting more. A very good and very enjoyable story, thank you for sharing. Great job!

Grammatical observation: You had written "tried" instead of "tired" at the last line of the third stanza.

[Howling_Wolf]

Reading your comment made me blushed; thank you for taking the time to write it. I completely missed that misspelling; I have already corrected it. When I first learned about about Kitsume no Yomeiri ; I was enchanted by it. I sometimes call a sunshower a foxes wedding sometimes just for fun. Im glad you enjoyed it.

[Lost, n'MT]

You're very welcome. Yes, I am intrigued by Kitsume no Yomeiri and plan to do some more research about it. I am glad it had such a positive affect on you.
Yes I did, thank you for writing and sharing. I look forward to reading more of your future writings.

[Stan Lee]

This is a perfectly lovely little story. Very enjoyable and easy to read. I especially liked the descriptions of NYC and the interesting fact about the Japanese saying.
The only bit that threw me was this bit: but they knew I will be okay.
Tense should be consistent therefore it should be either "but they know I will be okay." or "but they knew I would be okay."
Stay inspired! :)

[Splatman73]

Very nice concept and well executed. Short but sweet. I hope you write more like this.

[Howling_Wolf]

Thank you for the lovely review/ compliment. I have plans to post another book in a bit, but I did like writing like so, I'm not opposed to writing something like this again.

[Shannon]

I so enjoy the whimsy of this story. The characters innocence and wonder is as enchanting as the story itself.

I wish I has a great name for a sunshower or a story half as interesting!

[Howling_Wolf]

Thank you for your kind words. I'm glad you enjoyed it.