'And Today's Forecast Is…' (12 November 2006)

'…And today's forecast is partly cloudy with a high of 27°C… If you want to go to the beach, then today is going to be perfect…'

They're wrong. Weather forecasters are always wrong. They'll tell you a bunch of half-truths that they hope will become full ones if the conditions are right. Other than that, it's a dark art, weather forecasting. You never know when the weather'll change on you; leave you looking like an idiot. Call me a cynic, but I see it as the truth. For example, those rain dances and charms don't work: I've found the sure-fire way of telling the weather forecast… For example, I know that the weather today isn't going to be 27 and nice for the beach. It'll be raining. And it'll probably come out to be about 7 or 8 degrees.

Not that the rain is all that bad. I mean, it gives us life… But then again, humans spurn whatever good things they can get and convert them instead to their vices. Anyways, I use the example of rain because I've figured out the way to make the rain come… Wash your car. It always works, that. Whenever you wash your car, it'll rain, hence the saying 'right as rain'. And if you're really lucky, you'll get torrents of it; make you even more miserable than you already are…

Why do I say all of this? Well, I looked at the weather forecast this morning, and they just promised me sunshine and a cloudless sky, but I know it'll rain... After all, I'm washing my car… There is one benefit of rain, though. All those clouds, water droplets, make it romantic, y'know? Set the scene right to spend time with someone you love, or even someone you really care about. Either way, it does set the scene well…

Am I going to be taking advantage of the scene to spend time with someone?

Maybe, maybe not. Being an accomplished cynic and pessimist, I'll go with the latter. I tend to think that today requires a special type of person to celebrate with. Not that you can't celebrate every day with someone special, but today… You see, there was once someone who'd have been perfect to spend today with: the kind you could talk to for hours on end, and still have something to say. The kind who'd put you totally at ease after just a glimpse.

She's gone now.

Where, you ask. Truth be told, I don't know. Before you ask, she's not dead, or anything like that… It's just that she's… Missing. Yeah, missing. I haven't seen her in a while, and I don't know if I will again. Sad, I know, but hey, that's life, right? Take them in stride. Not that it helps much, but it's kinda nice to say. Say, let me tell you about her. You'd like that, wouldn't you?

Good. Let's see… Ah. She was tall. I remember that much. Tall, with long black hair that fell down to her shoulders. Her eyes were… I don't know… The best I can describe it is a strange colour somewhere between green and black. Pretty, I'm sure you'll agree. But, you see, that's not the point, unlike modern society would have you believe.

You see, I liked her so much because of several reasons. Probably the main one was that I felt so safe with her… What do I mean by safe? Well, like I said before, she was real easy to talk to. I could say almost anything to her, and it'd be okay. Not many people are like that; so welcoming, I mean. Like look at me now. I haven't found anyone who listens to me like she did… Yeah. I miss that. Those conversations…

I'd known of her for a long time, but never really got to know her until one chance encounter. I think the reason we never spoke was because I used to be scared of her. Poor excuse, I know. Anyways, we worked out that issue, and became pretty close friends…

And then she disappeared, like I told you… Okay, wait. That's not entirely fair. I disappeared… I couldn't see her anymore, and then, I don't know… We just slowly stopped talking. You see, she was really busy, and I was really busy, and then… I don't know. And when I left to come here, we slowly stopped emailing each other. And now, I haven't spoken to her in, I think, something like three years…Isn't it funny how people move on? One day, you'll be so close to someone, and a few days later, they're gone… What's that quote? Let's see… Ah, yes. "Strangers turn to friends, but it always ends the same. Blink and then they're gone, like a shot without a frame…"

Well, that's the story, and that's who I'da liked to spend today with. Guess I'll be spending it alone. Anyways, let me not bother you anymore. You go on to wherever it is you're going, and tell whoever you care about that you do, before it's too late. Oh, by the way, if you want, I can even tell you next Monday's forecast: it's 4°C, and there'll be heavy storms.

'Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. First off, I'd like to apologise for this morning's forecast; it appears I was way off the mark. Hopefully I'll be closer to it tonight… Tonight's forecast is overcast and cold, with a high of 7°C… If you want to go out to a restaurant for tonight's meal, you'd do better ordering a take-away…'

A/N: The quote of the speaker is from the song 'People Come Running', by a group called Taxi.

Dedicated to J