It was a normal day; I was walking home from school, and it was the last day. I smiled as I trotted down the trail. The sun was out shining bright as ever and only one cloud was floating in the sky, the trees still greener than the grass; it is the beginning of summer. On the trail I follow home, there is a fork exactly half way; on the right you have the Gadsden Village, and the left a longer path to my secluded home. The fork reminds me of my social life, it rates as you pass, go right to walk the strip and socialize with other people, or go left because you don’t have anyone to see but your family, I go left everyday.

The thermometer must have said two hundred degrees, but when I checked, it said a clear 101 degrees Fahrenheit. Who was he kidding? It was clearly 101 degrees Celsius; my shirt is soaked in sweat. As I look up into the sky that one cloud I spoke of once before asked me if I was hot. I replied with a slow and unsure yes, but I knew I was hot, I must have been nervous; I have never talked to a cloud. The cloud moved in front of the sun and gave me shade. “Here take this; it is the shade you were asking about.” Startled I walk slowly and confused, never taking my eyes off the white animate cloud. I shut my eyes for a few seconds and opened them, he was still there blocking out the sun. He had no face, no arms, legs, feet, hands, he was just a cloud. Clouds can’t talk, or can they? I questioned the entire world in that second. What was fantasy and what was a reality, I do not know where the line exists. If talking clouds can give you shade, can trees juggle things in their branches? Can they talk like he did? Do they need food and water like us? More so, do they have needs like I do? “Thank you.” I finally responded and walked home that day in the cool shade that was generously given.

Weeks pass and the cloud provided shade to me whenever I walked the trail, but fall came and the leaves dropped dead on the dirt. It covered the entire trail and it was quite a beautiful sight. It looked like the bowl of Fruity Pebbles I ate before school. I walk cooled from the breeze, but still hot on the inside, I forgot to fill my water bottle before I walked home. I came to the fork and decided I’ve gone half way and continued, hopefully the pond has water for me to sip. I look for the pond and it is no where in sight. It must have dried up on the brutal summer days. The cloud looks at me and asks if I am lost. I told him that I couldn’t find the pond, it has water that I desperately need. He chuckled and told me the pond dried up a long time ago and said, “Take this; it is my condensation to fulfill your dehydration.” I stare into the sky and sure enough the cloud lost its pearly white color, and became a dark gray. Within a few seconds water poured down, but it wasn’t normal rain. It only poured right in front of me, it was like the cloud was my drinking fountain, and gave me the water I needed to make it home.

Winter came, the season I hate the most. It stays a cold 34 degrees all winter and you’d be lucky to see it snow. Classes were rough today and I couldn’t have wanted a day off more. I ask the cloud why we don’t get snow, and he told me to be patient. Sure enough he made it snow, and covered the entire trail. Somehow the temperature was dropping below 30 degrees and kept going. Cold, I thanked him and scurried home. The next morning I woke with a smile and looked out the window to see what the cloud has created. My jaw must have hit the floor; I gazed at the white powder that covered everything in sight. I must have been dreaming. I turned on the television to see if school was cancelled, and it was. Not just today, but all week. The cloud gave me three feet of snow and I couldn’t be happier.

Spring came quickly and the snow had melted before the season started. Everyday it would rain, sometimes all day, but in most cases just and hour or two and its done. The trail was level and always had a flood by the fork. If you didn’t want to get muddy, you’d have to go deep into the woods and go around, it’s too much of a hassle, and I have the cloud. I shouted into the sky and asked him to remove the pond like puddle in front of me; I do not wish to get wet. The cloud responded by moving through the sky and letting the sun evaporate the water. Dry as a desert, the trail was mud free. I forgot to thank the cloud, I don’t remember the last time I thanked him.

More weeks pass and summer came with another blistering hot season. The heat was too much, I needed to walk in the shade, and the cloud knew it too. He was already in front of the sun, blocking its cancerous rays. He let out a cool summer breeze, which chilled my soul, it was a beautiful thing he made, and I wish everyday had that breeze. You could see particles of the cloud flutter the air. It looked like It was snowing, but all the particles were cool and fluffy. They were moist, and carried blue droplets of water that sizzled when they touched my skin. My body was instantly cool, and the fluff always put a smile on my face. I sat down in the middle of the trail and look up. “Why have you stopped young lad, is the shade too cold, or are there puddles I haven’t evaporated? Do you need snow, or do you wish a cooler summer breeze to chill your body?” The cloud asked upon me, and demanded an answer. “Cloud, I am thankful for you and all you have done, the trail is fine. I want to sit and talk to you.” “Why?” he asked. He sounded confused, but he was certain I needed something of him. I asked for a friend. He said,” Friends aren’t servants.” I became sad, and dropped tears, almost enough to flood the trail like the showers in spring.

Decades passed without a word exchanged between the two of us, I walked down the trail lonely, and looked up to see if he was watching me. The cloud had disappeared. He was no where in sight. I shouted up to the sky, and the great heavens as loud as I could, but there was no answer. I grew frail and hot, it was another brutal summer, I am thankful it is almost fall. I had to rest it was too hot to continue down this path of loneliness. I grew enough strength to pass the fork, and had to take another break. The cloud and I never talked about my life, he was afraid the friendship wouldn’t last because he was a servant. He was dumb in a sense that he thought you’d have to be a servant to become friends. I laughed out loud, at how stupid we were back in the young years. I walked the trail for exercise to keep in shape, but not from school anymore. I enrolled in a hospital, and was given one last week to walk the trail. These last days were rough through the trail; I couldn’t make it through without four or five stops. I knew it was my last time walking the trail. I decided to get up and quit reminiscing on the past, and finish the trail one last time. “I wish you were here cloud, I have stories to tell, and most importantly I miss that cool summer breeze you gave years and years ago.” There was no answer, nothing appeared in the sky, and just the sun remained and burned my eyes. I put my head down and grabbed my cane, and then I felt that same breeze that brought happiness when I was a child. It cooled my soul and gave me the energy to finish the trail. The cloud was still with me in spirit. A few days passed, it must have been the beginning of fall, and the leaves piled on the ground, covering the grass and dirt, the last sight I remember.