New York City, November 30, 2016

★ The rain had paused, leaving pulpy leaves and pulpy printed leaflets flattened to the sidewalk. It was urgent to find something to do in the break, even if it was just going the extra distance for coffee. Soon enough after, it was visibly wetter outside, and soon enough after that it was pouring hard enough that peripheral vision could notice it. The morning’s invitation had been rescinded; even the short half block out to Broadway became an insuperable distance, the corner seemingly receding as feet splashed toward it. After nightfall it took a moment to find the boundary between the wet plaza of Lincoln Center and the reflecting pool in it.