Jim's quiet musings . . .

It's late and I'm on one of those confused pseudo-schedules that occur when I'm not pinned down by work.  My last working day was on the 25th of February and I won't begin work again until sometime in early May.  So, I'm up since I can't sleep...

I smell rain. 

That distinctive scent in the air letting you know rain is either imminent or simply up-wind of you.
 
As a young boy in seventh grade I once asked my science teacher at Bassett Junior High in El Paso, Texas, what makes rain smell so nice.  He was one of those teachers that were truly dedicated to answering the questions of young minds, so he prepared a whole lesson around my question.  I don't remember the whole class, but I do remember he brought in different samples of things, like decomposing plants and tree bark in rich soil and a box containing several branches of sage brush.  He mentioned things about bacteria and other things associated with plant life that cause the smell of rain.  Then he passed around the branches of sage brush, instructing us to rub our fingers over the gray leaves and smell our fingers afterwards.

"Rub the sage brush leaves with your hands and then smell your fingers..."

It was like magic.  It smelled exactly like rain to me. 

Not everyone agreed, but there were a lot of immature jerks in that class as I remember...always trying to disrupt class and make stupid jokes.  God we were little shits back then. 

Well, no sage brush around here in Southern Thailand that I know of, but I'm sure there is plenty of decaying matter and bacteria about.  Whatever the case, it's truly a scent that gives me a good feeling inside. 

I love the smell of rain...

-Jeeem-