As I was a walking home from the fitness studio late this morning, the rain was picking up again. There are several large puddles on the rather crooked sidewalk between the studio and my house. As I rounded the corner, over the din of the raindrops I heard this repetitive high pitched squeal, coupled with the occasional splash.
Into view comes a small girl, probably between the ages of three and five, covered from head to toe in a raincoat and galoshes. She’s several paces ahead of the rest of her family. She’s yelling (singing, really) over and over again, “I don’t want to get wet, I don’t want to get wet, I don’t want to get wet!” as she gallops from puddle to puddle. Finally, she notices me coming from the other direction and stops dead in her tracks. Rain dripping through the soaked dark brown locks protruding from either side of the hood of her jacket, she makes eye contact. I flash her a quick smile to let her know I’m harmless, and then she cracks one of the most devious shit-eating-grins I’ve ever seen on a kid that age (even trumping my nephew Bennett!).
And then it was right back to puddle splashing and singing her refrain.
My faith in humanity got bumped up a notch today. Thanks, kiddo. Go in peace and never, ever stop splashing.