The Magic Raincoat....

It’s old. I have had the magic raincoat for at least 20 years.  It was a few years before I found out that it was magic.  The magic works about 97% of the time.  Here is how it works:

I bring the raincoat with me, I unfold it, carry it wherever I go.  If it does rain, it does not rain on me, when I am outdoors.  It’s like this: it’s raining when I leave for work, no problem, attached garage, so I don’t get rained on.  Drive to work, raincoat unfolded on the passenger seat, the rain stops when I arrive at work and prepare to exit the car.  It rains later, when I am inside the building working.  Lunchtime?  I put on the raincoat and it’s not raining while I go to lunch, or when I return and walk from car to building.  5 O’clock whistle blows?  The rain stops before I exit the building, and starts again after I am in the car and driving.  Home at last, it’s not raining at all here…..

Seriously, I have had many days like this! The key is that I must have the raincoat and it must be unfolded.   I had a co-worker, Kirby D., and if it would start to rain after we were in the office, Kirby would turn around slowly and ask me, “did you bring it?”  And I would say, “Yes, Kirby, I have it unfolded.”   And he would smile and turn back to his desk.  I think he really believed in the magic raincoat, and it never failed me as long I worked with Kirby D. 

Not everyone believes me, or they just don’t want to admit that it works.  The magic raincoat.  It’s a pale greenish hue, made of polyvinyl chloride (pvc), with nylon and polyester.  It has a nice roomy hood with a visor, so it keeps the rain off my glasses –on the rare occasion that I do get rained on while wearing the magic raincoat.  I think it cost around $30.  When  I got it I liked it so much that I bought another one and my mother got one too.  Later, when I wanted another color I got a third magic raincoat.  The funny thing is that I didn’t realize that it was a magic raincoat until I owned all three of them.  And they are all magic.  I carry one more than the others, but I have carried each of the three raincoats and they really all do the magic trick, 97% of the time.

Now, there are times when I look out the window, at the rain coming down, and I know it’s just not going to be a day that I do not get rained on.  I can accept that,… 3% of the time!!  What really vexes me is that, if I carry the magic raincoat in to the office, on a day that rain is predicted  and then run an errand without the magic raincoat, because maybe the sun was shining when I walked out, I get rained on!!  Ah, but that is how I know that it is truly a magic raincoat!, if only I had carried with me on the errand, I could have stayed dry.

That’s my story and I’m stickin’ to it.  J