THE TODDCAST · WITH TODD MICHAELPuddle Practice
Todd Bowles and Todd Gurley tried to line up the raindrops, but every puddle had its own rhythm. The long one by the door sounded like a tuba. A duck borrowed the whistle and looked surprisingly prepared.
They formed a band instead. The mop applauded the finale by falling over. Todd Gurley gave it a front-row seat for the encore.
Puddle tempo
Todd Bowles stood in a felt-green gym as rain tapped the roof. Todd Gurley brought a duck-shaped whistle to teach the drops a marching beat. The puddles had other ideas: one went plip, one went plop, and the long puddle by the door made a sound like a tuba clearing its throat.
Todd Bowles raised the whistle. The drops marched three steps and splashed in six directions. Todd Gurley suggested forming a band instead of a regiment. The puddles chose instruments by shape: the round one took the drum, the narrow one claimed the flute, and the tuba puddle asked for a solo and a larger dressing room.
Their tune wandered through the gym, growing sillier at every puddle. A duck joined on the whistle, then conducted with one webbed foot. Todd Bowles called the finale; Todd Gurley called for an encore. The rain obliged with one last plip, perfectly on beat. The band took a bow, and the gym floor received enthusiastic applause from the mop.
Rain Check, Encore
Todd Bowles and Todd Gurley began with marching steps; the puddles answered in three unrelated tempos. The duck’s whistle squeaked whenever it tried to conduct.
They turned practice into a concert. The tuba puddle got its solo, the duck led the encore, and the mop fell over again—this time in appreciation.
Puddle Band
Todd Bowles taps a marching beat,
Todd Gurley finds the puddles’ feet.
A duck conducts with whistle bright,
The tuba puddle gets it right.
The mop applauds and tips its head,
The raindrops drum above the shed.
One final plip, the band takes bows,
The floor gets cheers from all the towels.