WEBVTT

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And then water and rain-- of
course, the important element--

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and the moisture of the
important elements, of clouds.

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This one with the title
of the book The Place

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Where Clouds are Formed.

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Every day it is the same.

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He comes home.

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He tells her about it.

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As he speaks, his breath
condenses in front of his face.

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She goes about her business.

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Every now and then
she looks over.

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She doesn't hear his voice.

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She sees the soft fog that
continues to form a halo.

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She knows he is still
talking about that place.

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He never tires of
it like she does.

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Only on summer days when the
air is hot and moisture still

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a long time in
coming, she asks him

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to tell her about that place.

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She sits facing him, waiting for
the first vocalics, non-stops,

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the push of air from his lips.

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He tells her of the place
where clouds are formed.

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The cool dampness of
his voice is rich.

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Even on a dry June day, her
face beads with the wetness

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as he talks directly to her--

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each aspirated sound a
gentle burst of coolness.

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"Tell me again, tell
me again," she teases.

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If he knew she only
wanted the relief

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from the heat and not the
story, he would stop talking.

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He begins, "The first
time I saw the place were

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clouds are formed was from
the window of a train."

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Another time was in a mirage
in the heat outside Tucson.

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Once he thought he saw it
in the dry light of stars.

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The place he remembers
best was when

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he saw it in the eyes
of a woman he spoke to.

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When he first noticed it, she
hid it by lowering her gaze.

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Soon she let him look freely.

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There were times when
she opened her eyes wide,

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allowing an obscured view.

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Sometimes he saw her
eyes smolder with dryness

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on a summer day.

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Other times she was
rich with moisture.

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Clouds came in succession.

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The earth's shadows muted.

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"You know the 40
days and 40 nights?

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I was there.

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I'll be there when
it happens again,"

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she said with a slight smile.

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Like a child, he rushed
to look into her eyes

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at every opportunity.

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If he could, he would
hang on her eye socket,

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peering inside,
marveling at her display.

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Part 2.

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An unusually cold December day
around Christmas, cloud, mist

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find solace in the canyons of
the Santa Catalina Mountains.

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White moisture quietly
moving amid the cactus.

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Truly, clouds, wind, and
rain are the few elements

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that can touch the
saguaro from head

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to foot, oblivious
of spines, needles.

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Rubbery hide surrounded,
soothed by elements.

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Contact triggers stored heat
from remembered summers.

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Moisture beads roll
forward, unstoppable.

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From the city below, we see
mist rising, mist rising.

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Part 3.

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We sit close in the
cab of the truck.

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The weather is cold,
wet outside, too messy

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to stand in waiting
for a school bus.

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My father's truck
is warm inside,

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having been at
work since 4:00 AM.

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The sound of the
engine is soothing,

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heater working to capacity.

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Inside the cab we are silent.

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We don't need language.

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We listen to the regular
hum of the engine, rhythm

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of the windshield wipers,
soft rain on the hood,

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aware of the cold
air surrounding

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our temporary shelter.

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We look out over
the fields where

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the fog clings to the soil.

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Every now and then with
the back of his gloved hand

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he wipes the windshield.

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"Is it coming yet?"

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The three of us sit
quietly, breathing clouds.

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Clouds condense as they contact
the coolness of the windows.

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My father appears to breathe
air with moisture in balance.

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He forms no clouds.

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He watches us.

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We continue to breathe
gray, soft mist, waiting

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for the school bus.

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