Hot rain and cold drinks

I don’t know what the weather is like in your part of the world, but here in Georgia, it’s rainy. Our drought officially ended last week, and it’s way too soon to complain, but the gloominess can wear on a person.

I can’t help but wonder if it’s going to be like the summer I graduated from college and got my first real job—a sales job peddling soft drink machines door to door. Armed with a briefcase, two degrees (both semi-useless), lots of enthusiasm and an umbrella, I set out to break every sales record, which wasn’t too hard since this was a brand-new position.

That summer it rained every day, and the river my husband and I canoed down on spring break rose 44 ft. And I didn’t even break my own sales record as I soon found out soft drinks don’t really sell well when the sun’s not out. I remember wadding through the parking lot in a torrential downpour to call on one particular business. I asked if I could interest them in a soft drink machine, and they replied, “No, but would you like a cup of coffee?”

I guess I could have gone back to my office, except I didn’t have one, just a desk in the corner facing the wall with a phone that I shared. I’d rather be wet. Years later I discovered what experienced sales people did on rainy days—meet at Waffle House.

Anyway, you’d think since I work from home most of the time now, rainy days wouldn’t be a problem. Wrong. Instead of wandering outside for some sunshine when I need a break, I walk around the house, making a mental to-do list. Instead of beautiful new hardwood floors, I see one strip that’s not finished. Instead of cheerful yellow paint in the kitchen, my eye goes to the blue spot that I missed. Instead of a nice walk down the street on my lunch break, I went to Target and bought contact paper because every drawer in my home needs to be organized and lined with it.

Am I nuts? Perhaps or maybe spring cleaning coinciding with the rainy season has made me stir crazy. Either way, it’s enough to make a girl give up her cushy desk job and go back to selling cold drinks in the hot rain.