Yellow Umbrella

The sky was filling with clouds and the heat of late June seemed to reside to the cool somber atmosphere. I looked down and pulled on my grey hooded jacket. My heart felt heavy and I was numb and was slightly oblivious to what I was doing I had to get out of this house. I stepped out the door but stopped suddenly to reach in and grab my overly large bright yellow umbrella, I didnât even know why I did so; it never rained here this time of year. But I took it any way, as I locked the door and turned down the sidewalk and walked, I had no destination in mind just to get out. The air felt refreshing and I took a deep breath and mentally decided that I would not return to the apartment until I had gotten rid of this feeling of numbness. A tall scruffy looking old man played his ukulele, clearly worn in the places where the wood showed through the flower painted exterior, I grinned and watched from afar as he strummed a song I vaguely recognized. The street was scattered with just a few people who seemed to all be in a great need to be somewhere else. I walked slowly towards the music. As I approached him he looked up and flashed a crooked toothed smile through his white beard, I couldnât help but smile at him as I took a step closer. The numbness seemed to be melting slowly from my heart, as I reached into my jean pocket he began to hum with the melody, I pulled out some coins and a crumpled dollar bill, and I threw it in the hat lying by his feet and slowly walked by.
My mind ran through all that was going on in my head and seemed to lose all sense of time and distance. Cold water hit my neck snapping me out of my thoughts and made me realize how far I had walked from home. I turned around and preceded to meander home, the rain drops were large and cold. I was thankful that the streets were empty; I opened my large umbrella, which nearly surpassed the width of the sidewalk, and held it over my head. I thought of the song the man had played it rolled around in my mind, I began to hum it and without even knowing it I was singing and spun around in the rain. I froze in embarrassment when I spotted a pair of eyes on me, the man with the ukulele. I just stood there when he let out a friendly laugh of pure joy and he began to sing it where I had left off. I smiled ear to ear as he sang with such delight, my heart felt glad and I was amazed that a man with so little was so full of happiness. I joined him on the last line of the song and we laughed as if we were old friends. The rain was beating hard now and I motioned that he could join me, he played his small instrument and I beamed at his joy. We came to the point where we would part ways and he thanked me and shook my hand, just as he was about to go I handed him my big yellow umbrella. He stopped and looked me in the eyes with tears threatening to spill from his eyes he took it and thanked me. I turned to go pulling up my hood and heard him singing, as he walked away. I reached home dripping wet and still smiling, I was so overjoyed that I had needed to get out, and that I had decided to take my overly large bright yellow umbrella.