Cloud Maker

An isolated house was located at the center of a hundred acre farm. Little Kathy and her sister Barbara watched it while they played near the water pool. Both sisters were vacationing at their Grand Pa's farm in western Illinois. This summer has been dry. Kids could only find relief playing in the pool. One day, Little Kathy noticed smoke rising from the chimney of the isolated house.

“I think they are baking cookies...,” suggested Little Kathy to her elder sister Barbara.

The idea was supported by Barbara, and they both started gazing at the house from a distance. Soon, the smoke thickened. The house roof was entirely engulfed by it.

“I think that house is on fire...,” suggested Barbara.

Little Kathy started shouting “Fire! Fire! Fire!”. Her Grand Ma came out running. Her Grand Pa came out running. So, did her Mom and Dad. They were relieved to find Little Kathy unharmed. Barbara laughed at her sister's alarm. Little Kathy pointed everyone's attention towards the isolated house.

“That is no fire. No need to worry. It must be our neighbor dusting the house. He travels a lot and his house remains closed for a long time,” answered Grand Pa.

However, Little Kathy was not satisfied. She wanted her Dad to go and check the house. She was worried cookies might be destroyed. So, her Dad agreed to inspect the cause of the smoke. Little Kathy volunteered to accompany him. She put on her Fireman's dress. I remember when she knocked my door on last year's Halloween. She wore the same dress for Trick or Treat.

The father and daughter approached the isolated house. It was a long walk. Little Kathy signaled her father to wait, while she sipped few drops of water. The smoke has now covered the house completely. Both entered the haze, which turned out to be a mist.

“Dad! Look this is water...,” observed Little Kathy as her dress was covered with moisture.

An old man answered the door. He was older than Kathy's Grand Pa. His hairs were all silky white. He wore a white beard. Even his eyebrows were white. His countenance reflected he had been ill. Little Kathy's smile illuminated his face. Little Kathy explained the reason she and her Dad were there. Kathy's dad also disclosed how Kathy was worried about the fire destroying the cookies. The old man laughed in low volume. He was amicable to his neighbors.

“Thank you little angel for saving me! You really have brightened this house. Actually, my steam machine is not working. I have been trying to fix it, but since I have been sick too, it is taking longer than I expected,” explained the old man.

Little Kathy asked what has happened to the old man.

“Well dear, I have been traveling a lot. I went East. I went West. I went North. I went South. Wherever, I went I found difficult to breathe. The air has been polluted everywhere. All the vehicles, power plants, and many factories have been mixing our air with harmful elements. I was saddened to see North Pole melt. I was sorry to see Penguins in the South Pole struggling to survive. So, I came home. I built this steam engine to clean the air,” informed the old man.

“What does steam engine do?” asked Little Kathy.

Kathy's dad replied that engine produces smoke similar to mist that they encountered outside the house.

“The machine makes clouds then?” asked Little Kathy again.

“Oh Yes! Come here I will show you...” added the old man.

All three walked to the basement. A machine that appeared like a big steam engine was installed at the basement. There was a small fire burning inside the engine. Logs of wood were scattered everywhere. The steam was sneaking out of every little contortions it could locate inside the engine. The old man pushed some iron components down. The smoke stopped for a while. Then it again started leaking from another corner. Old man again pushed another set of iron components. The smoke stopped. Few seconds later, it started leaking from third corner. Little Kathy was amazed by the display.

The old man exhibited the steam engine as Kathy rode on her Dad's back to inspect the tall machine.

“So, you are the Cloud Maker...?”

“Yes dear you can say that! Both my machine and myself have been out of shape lately,” replied the old man.

“It will be okay, do not worry,” said Kathy as she patted the old man's back.

Both, the old man and Kathy's Dad smiled at the Little Kathy's innocence. Old man then produced cookies from his kitchen. He packed it in a beautiful wrap, and gifted to Little Kathy.

Little Kathy and her dad thanked the old man. They bid him good bye, as they came out of the house. Little Kathy turned towards the old man, ran to him, and whispered in his ear, “Get Well Soon!”

Incidentally, the couple of days later it rained for few minutes. Little Kathy and Barbara were sitting in their porch watching rain drops pelt their water pool.

“See...I told you. Cloud Maker made these rain clouds, and that is why it rained. I prayed today at the church for him...it worked,” said Little Kathy delighted.

“Oh yeah! Then why did we not get rain all summer? He cannot make rain,” teased Barbara.

“Yes he can! He has been sick. His machine has been sick. That is why we did not get rain all summer. Once he would get well, we will get lots of lots of rain...we will get so much rain that our water pool will be full...our swimming pool will be full...our lawn will be full...”

As her father narrated the story to me, I too prayed for the Cloud Maker. We all need the rain, and lots of lots of rain...

(References:  Man Who Drank the Creek)