I’ve seen things you people wouldn’t believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhäuser Gate.
All those moments will be lost, in time...
like
tears
in rain.
- Rutger Hauer, “Blade Runner.” 1/
All those moments will be lost, in time...
like
tears
in rain.
- Rutger Hauer, “Blade Runner.” 1/
I’m not sure when I stopped paying attention.
The patient’s wife is telling me why she worries about his cigar-smoking. Her voice is merging with the patter of the raindrops against the window.
I can feel each deep breath resonate inside me.
I am tired post-call. 2/
The patient’s wife is telling me why she worries about his cigar-smoking. Her voice is merging with the patter of the raindrops against the window.
I can feel each deep breath resonate inside me.
I am tired post-call. 2/
The falling rain triggers a neural pathway. I find myself traveling through a fragmented network of memories - real, and imagined.
An unpaved highway.
Pearls on a string.
Moments.
I am lost inside them. 3/
An unpaved highway.
Pearls on a string.
Moments.
I am lost inside them. 3/
It’s 2003.
I’m lying in a dentist’s chair. The overhead light is too bright, I look away.
The rain falls against the exam room window, and I listen to my dentist talk about “cross angles” as I gaze up at the dark skies.
My blood tastes coppery.
I am strangely at peace. 4/
I’m lying in a dentist’s chair. The overhead light is too bright, I look away.
The rain falls against the exam room window, and I listen to my dentist talk about “cross angles” as I gaze up at the dark skies.
My blood tastes coppery.
I am strangely at peace. 4/
It’s 1993.
I’m visiting America. I was born here, but have grown up overseas. I won’t move back home until 1997. For now, everything American is exotic.
I watch the first movie I’ve seen in a theater.
“Jurassic Park.”
A T-Rex roars in the torrential rain.
I am awed. 5/
I’m visiting America. I was born here, but have grown up overseas. I won’t move back home until 1997. For now, everything American is exotic.
I watch the first movie I’ve seen in a theater.
“Jurassic Park.”
A T-Rex roars in the torrential rain.
I am awed. 5/
It’s 1985.
I’m a child. My best friend accidentally locks himself inside a tool shed in the back yard.
It’s raining heavily.
The scent of the earth as it turns muddy reminds me of earthworms and Fall.
He’s crying in the shed, and I cry too, as I seek help.
I am scared. 6/
I’m a child. My best friend accidentally locks himself inside a tool shed in the back yard.
It’s raining heavily.
The scent of the earth as it turns muddy reminds me of earthworms and Fall.
He’s crying in the shed, and I cry too, as I seek help.
I am scared. 6/
It’s 1211.
I’m a Chinese warrior. Part of a vast army of a million men, mobilized to reinforce defenses along the Great Wall.
The great Khan and his four Dogs of War are coming.
The rains falls delicately, like a fine mist.
My breath fogs.
The air is cold.
I am ready. 7/
I’m a Chinese warrior. Part of a vast army of a million men, mobilized to reinforce defenses along the Great Wall.
The great Khan and his four Dogs of War are coming.
The rains falls delicately, like a fine mist.
My breath fogs.
The air is cold.
I am ready. 7/
It’s Interval Epsilon, Galactic Year 7786.
I’m a terraformer, on Kepler-186f. It is a small planet, in Stage Six of a seven stage cycle. This means rain. Lots of it.
Rain brings life. Rain brings renewal.
It will rain for 100 days here, so far from Earth.
I am alone. 8/
I’m a terraformer, on Kepler-186f. It is a small planet, in Stage Six of a seven stage cycle. This means rain. Lots of it.
Rain brings life. Rain brings renewal.
It will rain for 100 days here, so far from Earth.
I am alone. 8/
It’s 1270.
I’m a pilgrim, who has travelled far.
The Great Sage sits wordlessly, and we sit around him.
Eventually it begins to rain, and we are soaked, in silence.
Hours pass...
Rumi finally speaks, “It’s the rain that grows flowers, not the thunder.”
I am grateful. 9/
I’m a pilgrim, who has travelled far.
The Great Sage sits wordlessly, and we sit around him.
Eventually it begins to rain, and we are soaked, in silence.
Hours pass...
Rumi finally speaks, “It’s the rain that grows flowers, not the thunder.”
I am grateful. 9/
It’s 1916.
I’m a soldier, huddled under the driving rain.
Our trenches run near the River Somme, in France. In the days ahead, one million men will be wounded or killed.
This will be one of the bloodiest battles in human history.
A signal to charge is given.
I am death. 10/
I’m a soldier, huddled under the driving rain.
Our trenches run near the River Somme, in France. In the days ahead, one million men will be wounded or killed.
This will be one of the bloodiest battles in human history.
A signal to charge is given.
I am death. 10/
It’s 2019.
I am a nephrologist. I am jolted out of my reverie by a direct question.
The patient is looking right at me.
Seeing my disorientation, he repeats his question. “So how are my labs now?”
I apologize, and focus.
I must be here, now. 11/
I am a nephrologist. I am jolted out of my reverie by a direct question.
The patient is looking right at me.
Seeing my disorientation, he repeats his question. “So how are my labs now?”
I apologize, and focus.
I must be here, now. 11/
Later, as I walk out of the room, the nurse shoots me a quizzical look.
“Zone out doc? Where did you go?” She laughs.
I think about answering her.
New York.
China.
France.
Turkey.
Kepler-186f.
A million miles.
A million raindrops.
“Just the rain,” I say, and smile.
“Zone out doc? Where did you go?” She laughs.
I think about answering her.
New York.
China.
France.
Turkey.
Kepler-186f.
A million miles.
A million raindrops.
“Just the rain,” I say, and smile.
