Cloud Chatter

A low-level cloud is drifting along, minding its own business, watching a kids baseball game. Humidity is moderately high, so she’s not concerned about dissolving any time soon. Besides, even though young, she knows cloud spirits never die, they just continue drifting with the wind. Rising on thermals, falling with downdrafts, moving in every direction of the compass, until they find an area with enough moisture content to build their cloud persona again.

Right now, she was just enjoying the sunshine and the cooling breeze when she sensed an unusual cloud slowly descending towards her. As it approached, recognition struck.

“Cirrus-Syd, what are you doing here? You love the upper atmosphere. Why’d you come down here?”

“I do enjoy the solitude at altitude, Fluffy-Fiona, but sometimes it gets a bit lonely up top. For the most part, the only company I have are those giant jets that fill the sky for miles around with their pollution-laden exhaust. The only thing worse is being too close to a rocket launch. Ugh. One nearly hit me last week. But when the skies are empty, the view is simply magnificent. And the sunrises and sunsets. Well, just wow.”

“I hear you, Syd. But, there are no thermals or downdrafts around, so how’d you get down?”

“You’re still young, Fiona. You’ll soon learn there are quite a few things we can do without help from wind, if we really want to. Like be a sun shower or a cloudburst. Go ahead, try it. Concentrate hard on rising.”

“Hey, it’s working. This is great. Thanks Syd. Could I go all the up to your favorite haunts?”

“The sky’s the limit, Fiona”

“Enjoy the ballgame, Syd. Come up if you get tired of all the low-level activity. Stay moist.”