Refuge Part 2

He walked along the high street, the sky had turned a deep grey under the weight of the gathering cloud. It had been a bright and mild autumn afternoon when he left home and so he was somewhat unprepared for the rain which, by the look of the sky, now seemed inevitable. He continued along heading toward the bookshop when he heard the first peal of thunder. He was caught between a rock and a hard place, if he carried on to the nearest refuge he could well get caught in the coming storm, if he turned back to his car, parked at the multi storey, he would also get a soaking. He quickly decided to head to the coffee shop, and with a loud crack of lightening followed by another clap of thunder, he did so at a run.

By the time he was two doors away from shelter, the rain had come and every inch of him was dripping wet. The well fitting woollen pullover he had chosen to wear in the morning was now stretching under the weight of the water it had absorbed and was several sizes too big. The bottom of the jumper now reached his knees and the arms were dangling well past his hands. The trainers he had put on were no protection for his feet and he could feel his wet socks sliding around as he walked. He opened the door to the coffee shop and found that most of the people out shopping had had the same idea as him and were now forming a long queue at the counter. As he stepped inside and squelched to the back of the queue, several people noticed him, and with amused looks, thought themselves thankful that they had paid heed to the weather forecast for that day.

As he waited he could feel the trickle of water through is hair making his scalp itch and beginning to run out of his hairline and down his face. He really hoped he wouldn't have to wait too long, there were not many tables left and he would like to sit down in a corner somewhere out of the way. He felt rather silly standing there in his stretched out clothes dripping everywhere. He was hoping the money in his wallet stowed in his back pocket had survived the drenching but he couldn't bring himself to think about his wrist watch.