Send Down the Rain

by Charles Martin

“It allows me to capture a moment and then turn it loose all at the same time.”

Mexican doughnuts are not what a diabetic needs to eat, but not wanting to be rude, I ate twelve. The combination of fat and sugar hung on my eyelids, pulling them down.

I would find out later that he pulled Mr. Billy off of me and bit off the top of his ear. Which explained both Bobby’s puffy black eye and the odd shape of Mr. Billy’s ear.

“The dead have already forgiven the living.”

Once elected, I learned I was good at politics

because I could lie with the best of them.

“Watch over my boy . . . all the days of his life . . . and let him live to see the rain.” She closed her eyes. “Send down the rain.”