Wait

In one of his recent, typically wry and insightful posts, non-nutritional role model Kent Peterson said something like a rain shower is nature’s way of encouraging you to stop for coffee and after today, I definitely concur (not that I didn’t before; it’s just that today provided a particularly convincing example of the principle.)

I left Bothell in a drizzle, clad in all my rain gear.  True to form, it didn’t take long, therefore, for the skies to essentially clear.  After pedaling along then, for a quarter of an hour or so wrapped in unnecessary plastic, I stopped by the side of the road and peeled off all the outer layer except for my booties.

I had about an hour of pleasant cruising with just wool to keep me warm when, all of a sudden, as I headed away from the U-District, the skies began to darken menacingly.  I had just enough time to gear back up before it started to pour.  It occurred to me that I could press on towards home and dry off when I got there, or, I could drop into the nearest coffee shop and test Kent’s maxim.

So, I pulled over to Vox Coffee on Eastlake and ordered a cappuccino.  It turned out to be a delightful way to spend a quarter hour, watching people ride by in the deluge looking miserable.  And when the rain still hadn’t let up, I treated myself to a hot chocolate and sat a while longer.

By the time I was running my finger over the sweet residue in the bottom of my cup, the rain had essentially stopped.  I got up to return my mug to the counter and the barista remarked that I had timed things perfectly, being on a bike and all.

But give credit where credit it due: it’s not like I knew something special; nor even that Kent is so smart.

It’s Mother Nature herself who sprang for the coffee.