Franz Josef (two)

I lived in Franz Josef long enough to become well acquainted with its rain. Rain so thick it ceases being a liquid and becomes an object; an object to be reckoned with. The best way to describe it is ‘The Rain of God’ because not only does it soak you to your soul it also blinds you.
Revisiting Franz Josef after almost 3 years was bizarre. I was once considered a local in this tiny village and it is a title I still cherish, but when you leave and go back to visit you are just that, a visitor.
There were new people, new houses and new businesses but for me the memories were old and I enjoyed quietly returning to the times I had there because they were some of the best in my life.One thing that stood out was the addition of a space age port-a-potty called the Exceloo. It is a pay toilet in the center of the main street next to the pay phones. I paid $0.50 to enter the capsule and as the door slid closed behind me a voice said “You have 10 minutes” then the instrumental elevator music (‘What the world needs now, is love, sweet love’) started playing and I couldn’t stop laughing