Nebby

Once upon a time, there was a little cloud, “Nebulous.” His family and friends called him, “Nebby.” He was a happy, friendly little cloud! He had lots of friends at school! They’d laugh and play and laugh and play! “Hey, Nebby! I bet you can’t beat me to the merry-go-round,” Nasir said. “I bet I can,” Nebby said as he bolted towards the playground. Allyson heard the challenge and started running, too. Nasir caught up and ran pass Nebby. Allyson did, too. The other cloud kids on the playground started cheering. “Go, Nebby! Go! Come on. Catch up!” Nasir came in first place, Allyson second, and Nebby third. “Oooh, Nebby! You let a girl cloud beat you,” said Nasir as he began to laugh. “She did beat me,” Nebby said and began to laugh, too. The laughter became uncontrollable as other clouds began to join in! There were clouds falling on the ground, on the merry-go-round, everywhere, some, with tears in their eyes from laughing so much and so hard, and then it happened.

Droplets of rain began to fall from every laughing cloud, except Nebby. No rain was in sight. He didn’t rain. He couldn’t rain. Nebby stopped laughing. He didn’t understand why he was so different. He turned and walked back towards the school with his head hung down. All of his friends could rain but he couldn’t.

He decided that he would find out why he didn’t rain like his other cloud friends. “My Mom said, ‘if you wanna know something, you gotta ask questions.’ So, that’s what I’m gonna do.”

The next day was Saturday. He’d usually just go for a walk around the neighborhood because he loved being outside but today was different. He was on a mission. He had to find out what would make him rain. His mom, Karen, met him at the door. “See you later, Nebby.” She kissed him on the right cheek. That was her favorite cheek because she’s always kissed his small but noticeable, adorable dimple. He blushed.

As he floated, walking the streets in the sky, he saw a bird. He asked the bird, “Mr. Bird, what do I have to do to rain? I just can’t do it no matter how hard I try.” Mr. Bird said, “Maybe you should wiggle a little bit.” Nebby began to wiggle but nothing happened. The bird watched in wonder. “Well, I don’t know what it would take for you to rain. Maybe you should ask the rainbow.” The little cloud hung his head a little lower, and said; “Ok, I’ll ask the rainbow.” He floated away to find the rainbow.

The rainbow was bright and beautiful with all of its colors; red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo violet. The little cloud thought, surely the rainbow would know because she comes out only after it rains. “Hello, Ma’am.” “Ms. Spectra”, the rainbow said. “Ms. Spectra, what do I have to do to rain?” The rainbow scratched her brow. “Hmm, maybe you should jump up and down.” “Maybe you’re right,” said Nebby. So, he jumped up and down. No rain. Ms. Spectra said, “I don’t know what it would take for you to rain. Maybe you should ask the sun.” The little cloud hung his head lower and said; “Ok, I will ask the sun.” He floated away to find the sun.

As he got closer to the sun, he thought surely the sun would know because he often comes out to dry up the rain. “Mr. Sun, what do I have to do to rain?” The sun put his hand on his chin and said, “Maybe you should shake back and forth,” so Nebby began to shake back and forth but there was no rain. “Try again,” said Mr. Sun. There was no rain, not even a drop. “Well, I guess I was wrong,” Mr. Sun said. “Maybe you should ask …,” But before the sun could finish, the little cloud interrupted and said, “I have to get home now. I have to be home before dark.” So, the little cloud hung his head lower and went home.

It was dinner time in the Nebulous Cloud’s household. They sat down to eat at the dinner table. Everyone was talking, except Nebby. He pushed his food around on his plate with his fork not eating any of it. His mom noticed the frown on his face. “What’s wrong with my little Nebby,” she asked. “He’s probably still embarrassed because he got beat by a girl yesterday,” India said. Nebby’s sister was always picking on him. “Be quiet. I’m not upset about that. If you remember, I was laughing with everybody else.” India laughed. He turned to his father. “Dad, everybody was laughing. We laughed so hard. It was so funny until …” Nebby hung his head. “Until what son?” his dad asked. “Until they all started raining but I didn’t! Why can’t I rain, dad?” Nebby questioned. “Son, you’ll rain one day when it’s your time,” Jimmy said. “But what’s wrong with me? Why am I not like all my friends?” Nebby questioned again. He looked over at his mom. “May I be excused? I just want to go to bed.” “Sure, baby. Get your bath and I’ll be there to tuck you in before you go to sleep.” He left the table.

Before he got into the bed, Nebby’s mom came into his room. “Ma, nobody could tell me what I have to do to rain. What do I have to do? I asked the sun, a bird AND a rainbow on my walk today but they didn’t know.” “Nebby, when it’s your time, you’ll know. You won’t have to figure it out. It will happen naturally. You’ll see,” his mom said. “You’ll see!”

He wasn’t happy with that answer, but he was too sleepy to ask more questions. He drifted off and started to dream. He watched as a little cloud danced but he could only see the back of the cloud. The little cloud wasn’t dancing alone. Another little cloud danced and laughed but Nebby couldn’t see that cloud’s face either. Just then, he heard chirping nearby. Perched on a tree, he saw Mr. Bird. He asked the bird, “Who’s the cloud and who is his dancing partner?” Mr. Bird said, “Look a little closer.” The little cloud held his head up just a little bit higher in anticipation of finding out who the dancing clouds were but he still could not see their faces.

“Well, maybe the sun can tell me,” said the little cloud. The sun peeked around the tree that held the bird. “Looking for me?” asked the sun. “Who is that cloud dancing and with whom is he dancing?” Nebby questioned. “Look a little closer,” said the sun.

The little cloud got even more excited and began to move closer to the other clouds. He moved closer and closer. His head was higher and higher and his smile grew bigger and brighter! The little clouds danced and danced. As they began to turn around, Nebby noticed the little, but noticeable, adorable dimple on the right cheek of the clouds! Nebby laughed as he watched a reflection of himself happy, dancing with himself! Nebula laughed so hard, that he woke himself and then it happened, large, full raindrops began to fall from his body. Nebby never wondered again what it takes for him to rain!