rain or shine

He carried an umbrella with him wherever he went, every day. Just in case, he would say (if adressed, maybe, on a hot and sunny summer day by some really curious person who couldn’t help staring at him and who then decided it to be better to ask right away). Just in case.

For most people this was enough of an explanation.

The truth is, he didn’t carry the umbrella for fear that it might rain, like most people probably assumed. He just did not want to lose it.

»You know how it goes«, he explained when I finally came around to ask him, »It rains, and you go outside with your umbrella. You come to a friend’s house, or maybe the office or your nest« (Did I mention that he was a bird? Not that it mattered much here.) »Later, when you leave, the sun is shining, and you forget it. And you will never remember where you left it.«

I nodded. This made sense.

he always carried his umbrella